I finally understand why Samsung's new battery tech leaves Pixel users behind
by Anu Joy · Android PoliceGoogle has steadily improved the Pixel's battery over the years, but one area still feels surprisingly old-fashioned.
While several Android brands have already embraced silicon-carbon batteries, Samsung has joined them with its latest foldables, leaving Google as one of the few major holdouts.
The technology isn't only about fitting a bigger battery into a phone. It opens the door to thinner designs, longer battery life, or a better balance of both.
Now that Samsung has made the switch, it's becoming harder to ignore what Pixel users are missing.
If Google wants the Pixel to keep up, this is the upgrade I'd like to see next.
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Samsung finally embraced silicon-carbon batteries
Its latest foldables mark a turning point
Samsung has long been one of the biggest names missing from the silicon-carbon battery conversation.
While Honor introduced silicon-carbon batteries in 2023, brands like OnePlus, Oppo, Xiaomi, and others have widely adopted the technology over the past couple of years.
Samsung stuck with conventional lithium-ion batteries, even as its rivals packed larger batteries into increasingly thin phones.
That changed with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Galaxy Z Flip 8. These are Samsung's first smartphones to use silicon-carbon batteries.
Instead of chasing eye-catching battery capacities, Samsung has taken a more measured approach, using the technology to fit larger batteries into slimmer foldables.
For example, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra now packs a 5,000mAh battery despite being thinner than its predecessor, while the standard Fold 8 increases its battery capacity to 4,800mAh in a smaller chassis.
One of the industry's most cautious smartphone makers has signaled that silicon-carbon batteries are ready for the mainstream.
If Samsung is finally confident enough to adopt the technology, it raises the question: Why hasn't Google done the same for the Pixel?
Why silicon-carbon batteries are becoming the new standard
More phone makers are making the switch
Silicon-carbon batteries aren't a completely new battery chemistry. Like conventional lithium-ion batteries, they still rely on lithium to store and deliver energy.
The key difference is that they replace the traditional graphite anode with a silicon-carbon composite, allowing the battery to store more energy in roughly the same amount of space.
That higher energy density is what has made the technology so appealing to smartphone manufacturers.
Over the past couple of years, we've seen brands like Honor, OnePlus, and Xiaomi adopt silicon-carbon batteries across their flagship lineups.
The result hasn't only been larger battery capacities. Many of these phones have become thinner or made room for more advanced hardware while still improving battery life.
Samsung's decision to bring the technology to its latest foldables signals that silicon-carbon batteries are no longer a niche feature; they're becoming a mainstream solution for premium smartphones.
Silicon-carbon technology isn't only about bigger batteries
Battery size is only half the story
The first thing that comes to mind when you hear about silicon-carbon batteries is bigger battery capacities.
That's understandable, especially when several Android manufacturers are using the technology to fit 6,000mAh or even larger batteries into surprisingly slim phones.
But higher capacity is only part of the story.
The real advantage is energy density. Silicon-carbon batteries can store more energy in roughly the same amount of space as conventional lithium-ion batteries, giving manufacturers more freedom when designing a phone.
Instead of increasing battery size, they can choose to make a device thinner, create room for larger camera hardware or improved cooling, or strike a balance between all three.
Samsung's implementation illustrates that point. The company chose not to introduce silicon-carbon batteries in a standard Galaxy S phone, where there would typically be more space for a larger battery.
Instead, it rolled out the technology in its latest foldable devices, which are among the most space-constrained in its lineup.
Samsung enhanced battery capacity in the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Z Flip 8 by using silicon-carbon batteries, all while keeping their designs impressively thin.
The Pixel has more to gain than most phones
Google has every reason to make the switch
Every new Pixel generation packs more AI features, increasingly capable cameras, and hardware that all compete for limited space inside the phone.
At the same time, users continue to expect better battery life without having to carry around a thicker or heavier device.
Silicon-carbon batteries could help Google achieve that balance. The company could use the extra energy density to improve battery life while keeping future Pixels roughly the same size, or free up internal space for better cooling and other hardware improvements.
Either way, the biggest benefit would be a Pixel that lasts longer without forcing Google to compromise elsewhere.
Samsung has already shown that this approach works. Now I'd like to see Google take advantage of the same technology instead of relying on increasingly incremental battery upgrades.
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Google shouldn't wait until Pixels fall behind
Samsung's adoption of silicon-carbon batteries feels like a turning point.
What was once a feature found mostly on a handful of Chinese smartphones is now making its way into one of the industry's biggest flagship lineups.
If the current Google Pixel 11 leaks are accurate, Google isn't expected to make the switch this year.
That's disappointing, because silicon-carbon batteries aren't just about fitting larger batteries into phones. They give manufacturers more flexibility to improve battery life and hardware without compromising the design.
Samsung has shown that silicon-carbon batteries are mature enough for even its most space-constrained foldables.
The longer Google waits, the more its battery strategy risks lagging behind the competition.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8
SoC
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
RAM
12GB / 16GB
Storage
256GB / 512GB / 1TB
Battery
4,800mAh
Operating System
Android 17 / One UI 9
Front camera
10MP main / 10MP coverThe Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a 4:3 aspect ratio open screen, making it great for video and reading books, and when closed the device is compact, with apps on the cover screen appearing normally. It joins Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, which has a more traditional tall-and-thin design.
$1900 at Samsung
Expand CollapseSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra
SoC
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
RAM
12GB / 16GB
Storage
256GB / 512GB / 1TB
Battery
5,000mAh
Operating System
Android 17 / One UI 9
Front camera
10MP main / 10MP coverThe Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is a productivity-focused big-screen folding phone, with an emphasis on power and performance over the more media-focused Galaxy Z Fold 8. However, the specification is similar, with the camera and battery being the standout upgrades over the Z Fold 8.
$2100 at Samsung
Expand Collapse