iPhone Air Battery Life: A Real Breakthrough

iPhone Air Battery: A Revolutionary Advancement

The sleek design of the iPhone Air is certainly notable, and the engineering feat of miniaturizing its internal components is impressive. However, according to Gene Berdichevsky, CEO of battery materials firm Sila, the most significant innovation may reside within the device’s aluminum and glass casing.

Berdichevsky shared with TechCrunch that the iPhone Air’s battery is “pretty remarkable,” particularly highlighting its unconventional, two-dimensional form factor. He described the shape as “pretty amazing” upon inspection.

Having recently returned from Asia, Berdichevsky had the opportunity to examine these battery cells firsthand. He characterized the technology as a “revolutionary piece of battery tech.”

Expert Insights from a Battery Pioneer

Berdichevsky’s expertise in battery technology is well-established. As Tesla’s seventh employee, he spearheaded the battery engineering for the original Roadster, setting the foundation for future Tesla vehicles. Currently, he leads Sila, a company focused on producing silicon anode materials for both consumer electronics and electric vehicles.

The iPhone Air’s unique battery shape is enabled by a technology patented by Apple: the metal can battery. This design incorporates a metal casing surrounding the entire cell, enhancing its strength and durability.

Most consumer electronics utilize pouch cells, which feature a flexible plastic casing that is cost-effective to produce and allows for some expansion.

Addressing Battery Swelling Issues

Apple has employed L-shaped batteries in iPhones for several years. All lithium-ion batteries experience some degree of swelling, and the inner corner of the L-shape can become a stress point when this occurs.

“Those are very finicky, and this basically makes it bulletproof,” Berdichevsky explained. “You can now build batteries in any two-dimensional shape you want.”

Metal can batteries empower Apple to maximize the utilization of space within the iPhone Air. They allow for components to be positioned “very close to the edges,” enabling the battery to conform to available space around circuit boards.

Future Implications and Adoption

Berdichevsky anticipates that metal can batteries will become increasingly prevalent in smartphones, despite their higher cost. He believes the increased energy storage capacity will justify the expense.

This technology will also be “very key” for smaller devices, such as augmented and virtual reality glasses, as evidenced by prototypes he observed in China. “It’s even more of an energy density improvement because it lets you fit into weird shapes,” he added.

Silicon Anodes and the Path Forward

The adoption of this advanced battery construction may explain why Apple has not yet transitioned to silicon-heavy anodes – also known as silicon-carbon – in its lithium-ion batteries.

“If you’re bringing [a new battery design] online, you kind of go, ‘You know what? Let’s use yesterday’s chemistry,’” Berdichevsky stated.

However, the shift to metal can construction could pave the way for the integration of silicon anodes in the near future. Pure silicon anodes can potentially store 50% more energy than conventional graphite anodes, but they are susceptible to swelling.

Companies like Sila have developed proprietary methods to mitigate this swelling within the material itself, but it still requires consideration at the cell level.

“It definitely will help introduce silicon in these kind of devices,” Berdichevsky concluded. “It lets us push the performance limits more. We’ve always had these trade-offs, and we have to manage the swell. You still have to do that, but you can push it a little bit more. It’s pretty revolutionary.”