Samsung Could Make The Galaxy S26 Extra Thin With New Battery Tech

Ryan Haines / Android Authority

The batteries that power today’s electronics are a lot more incredible than we often give them credit for. We’ve come a long way from the days of nickel-cadmium and even nickel-metal hydride cells, with lithium-based chemistry offering superior capacity and discharge characteristics (if only they didn’t have that annoying tendency to burst into flame). But for as far as we’ve come, it always feels like the next big thing could be right around the corner, as advocates hype next-gen battery tech. We’ve only just started to see silicon-carbon batteries emerge, capable of storing even more energy in smaller spaces, and we’ve been hugely curious to see who might take advantage of them next.

While some manufacturers have already released phones that tap into the improved power density of silicon-carbon batteries, the tech has really yet to go mainstream on a global scale. You can find select HONOR or Xiaomi phones equipped with silicon-carbon components, but we’ve yet to get a similar option from an iPhone or a Galaxy model. And although there could easily be some progress there as 2025 starts unfolding, a new rumor suggests that we could see a major win for silicon-carbon arrive in early 2026.

See also  Google Whisk Lets You Fuse Multiple Images Into Something All New

Adam Birney / Android Authority

Leaker Jukanlosreve repeats a rumor on X that he attributes to fellow leaker Ice Universe, asserting that Samsung is planning to use a silicon-carbon battery in the Galaxy S26.

That could be a major step forward, and may not even be the only new battery technology Samsung could be thinking of using; this rumor arrives just a day after a report in South Korea’s TheElec that discussed the company’s interest in novel battery construction, and specifically, increasing capacity through stacked electrodes. Already used in larger solutions like car batteries, Samsung may be considering a similar approach for smartphones.

It’s unclear if these potential plans for silicon-carbon chemistry and stacked electrode construction may overlap, but it sounds like these technologies might be under consideration at exactly the right time for Samsung, especially as we hear rumors about disappointing Galaxy S25 Slim battery capacity. While we may have to choose between a thin build and battery life today, silicon-carbon could make that feel like a lot less of a compromise. Now we just have to wait to see if Samsung will actually take this route.

In the meantime, the Galaxy S25 series is right around the corner, so check in with us for Unpacked on January 22.

Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at [email protected]. You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it’s your choice.