LG is making curved phone batteries – and bendable batteries are just around the corner

By Andy Boxall October 8, 2013

LG Optimus G Pro Battery Life — Image used with permission by copyright holder

LG’s battery and chemical division, LG Chem, has announced three new battery types, all of which have the potential to power next generation smartphones and wearable technology products. The new batteries are referred to as Curved, Stepped, and Cable, and are designed to not only make it easier to fit larger batteries into our smartphones, but also to power hardware produced in unusual shapes.

The curved battery fits in with the continuing rumors that LG is about to unveil a curved smartphone, and comes soon after the company confirmed it had put a 6-inch flexible display panel into production. LG Chem says the curved battery can power products with, “Curved screens or flexible designs such as smartphones, watches, and glasses.” These new cells entered mass production this month, and the press release says they’ll, “Power the next smartphone line-up from LG Electronics.”

LG also talked about its stepped battery, which can be found inside the LG G2 smartphone. As the name suggests, two batteries are stacked on top of each other to make a step shape, allowing the manufacturer to make best use of the space inside a crowded smartphone body. This resulted in 16 percent additional battery capacity inside the G2, and 3 hours more standby time than a traditional design. While two steps are currently used, LG is researching three or four steps for future versions.

Finally, it gave us a glimpse of the future with the cable battery. It’s a small, waterproof, low output battery which can be bent about and even tied in a knot, making it ideal for use in wearable devices. It’s not ready just yet though, and LG expects to put it into production in the next few years.

While the cable battery is exciting, all eyes will be on the curved battery, as it’s introduction could imminently herald a considerable change in the way smartphones are shaped and designed. While LG has talked about curved batteries and screens, rival Samsung hasn’t made any similar statements. It’s expected to introduce a curved smartphone first. Does this mean LG’s device will be more radical? We could find out before the end of the month.

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Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…

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