Exploding Samsung phones show perils of building better battery
Samsung electronics, under pressure from consumers for longer-lasting batteries that charge faster, pushed the limits of lithium-ion technology. The effort backfired when some of its new Note 7 handsets caught fire and exploded.
Building a better battery has long bedevilled the tech industry. Smartphones are constantly improving, with sharper displays, improved software and cameras rivaling those used by the pros. Not so the batteries, which despite advances still die faster than consumers like and take too long to recharge. “It’s the race to add new capabilities and features to the phone that demands a more capable battery,” said Martin Reynolds, a Gartner analyst.
On top of the demands placed on their performance, batteries are getting slimmer and smaller, as smartphone makers try to win over consumers with thinner devices. That’s putting strain on the manufacturing process, and raising the risk of defects that can lead to the kind of malfunctions seen in Samsung’s phones.
Samsung rolled out the device in August, just before Apple unveiled a new batch of iPhones. It was a opportunity for the company to outshine its biggest smartphone rival. Instead, it backfired.
Usually, smartphone makers
It’s the race to add new capabilities and features to the phone that demands a more capable battery
Martin Reynolds, Gartner analyst
and wireless providers rigorously test products before they reach customers, although the process is mainly focused on making sure the devices are compatible with wireless networks. Samsung provided carriers with the typical amount of testing time before the launch date, according to people familiar with the matter. Samsung first showed prototypes of the Note 7 to carriers in April and testing began in May, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the arrangements aren’t public.
At least one major Samsung partner is reassessing its testing procedures to catch issues like this in the future, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. The South Korean manufacturer is holding multiple meetings each week with major carrier partners to discuss the latest details from its investigation and assist in mitigating the issue, the person said.
Headaches involving the production of lithium-ion batteries aren’t unique to the smartphone industry. Overheating battery packs made by Sony Corp led to the recall of millions of laptops made by Dell, Toshiba Corp and others in 2006. — Bloomberg