[Reporter's Notebook] Samsung adopts silicon carbon battery to improve capacity for new foldables

LONDON — Samsung Electronics has adopted silicon-carbon anode batteries for the Galaxy Z8 foldable smartphone series unveiled at the Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event here and is considering expanding the technology to the Galaxy S27 series.

During a press briefing on Thursday, Samsung Electronics Executive Vice President at Mobile R&D Office Moon Sung-hoon said the Galaxy Z8 series for the first time used silicon carbon battery to improve energy density within the same amount of space.

Silicon carbon anodes significantly increase energy density compared to conventional batteries using graphite anodes.

By adopting silicon carbon anode, the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is equipped with a 5,000 milliampere-hour pack, 14 percent larger than that of its predecessor, while maintaining a record-thin profile of 4.1 millimeters.

Chinese smartphone makers have been using silicon carbon for their smartphone batteries, but Moon said Samsung decided to adopt the technology only after it met the company's stringent safety standards, given the material's structural drawbacks.

"Silicon batteries have the advantage ...