If there’s one thing that still lets all smartwatches down, it’s battery life. Despite the clever new features they boast with each iteration - be it heart health smarts, GPS, stress tracking and the like - most still need to be back on the charger before bedtime.
Unless you’re running a chunky Garmin, a full day of proper use still feels like you’re pushing your luck. So when Apple unveiled its Series 11 Watch last week, one headline feature I was expecting was better battery life. And we got that, kind of.
While the all-new smartwatch talks up stamina improvements, the specs were basically the same, with Apple claiming “up to 24 hours of normal use”.
Er, excuse me, but this watch has delivered a very similar battery performance since it first launched over a decade ago. For a device that wants to live on your wrist day and night, “one day” just isn't good enough any more.
But there is hope...
The ‘dream battery’ that could fix this
Here’s where Samsung’s so-called “dream battery” comes in.
Reported last year, Samsung Electro-Mechanics is apparently developing an ultra-small, all-solid-state cell made specifically for wearables, boasting around 200Wh/L energy density. In Layman's terms, that basically means more juice in the same space. And because it switches the usual liquid inside a battery for a solid, non-flammable material, it should also be safer and less likely to swell or leak. It’s friendlier for design, too, as it means it can be made flat, curved, even oddly shaped, which is exactly what's needed for slim watches, rings or a pair of buds without turning them into bricks.
What’s really interesting, however, is how they’ve done it. Samsung says it’s an oxide-based solid-state cell, and the team has leaned on its multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) know-how - basically stacking ultra-thin layers and firing ceramics to shrink the size without losing capacity.
They’ve filed over 40 overseas patents in the last few years covering the electrolyte and internal structure, so it looks to be more than a lab demo. Prototypes are reported to be with corporate customers, and if testing goes to plan, mass production is slated for as soon as 2026, with Galaxy Ring, Galaxy Watch and earbuds expected to be first in line. Exciting stuff!
What it could mean for your wrist
If solid-state battery tech does actually arrive, it'll change everything. You’re looking at genuine multi-day battery on a proper smartwatch - even witj always-on display, constant heart-rate and blood oxygen, etc - without the faff of nursing it through the day.
The cells should charge faster too, so a quick top-up before you head out could genuinely see you through the evening. And because they can be made in different shapes, it could be developed for smart rings that don't give up after a day or two, or a slimmer watch that doesn't need to drop big features to last past a day.
This innovative battery tech isn't guaranteed, though. Making this at scale won't be easy - and reports suggest that reliability, cost and factory yields all need to be worked out, which is likely to delay things. But the direction is pretty clear - and very promising.
Don’t count Apple out just yet
Samsung isn’t the only one chasing this new tech, either. Last year, Apple supplier TDK touted its own solid-state breakthrough, sporting capacity gains that would make today’s cells look a bit ancient.
It seesm the race is on. But right now, with smartwatches like Galaxy Watch 8 and Apple Watch Series 11 still struggling to last a full day for many users, whoever ships a solid-state wearable first will have a massive head start.
If this “dream battery” delivers, the most annoying thing about your smartwatch might finally be fixed. And it’s about time, if you ask me.
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