With smartphone battery capacity essentially stalling around 5000 mAh for size and manufacturing technology reasons, the next best thing is to charge them faster. That’s precisely where many OEMs are heading, including Infinix.
Following Ubergizmo, you might have seen Infinix’s 160W fast-charger demonstrated with a concept phone last year. Thunder Charge is even better and more efficient. According to the company, the new charging system is 99% efficient, which means less heat is generated at this incredible wattage.
The trick here is to use two batteries that can be recharged at 90W. Thus, the parallel charging of both is similar to having one battery that charges at 180W. The concept has been used for some time but is improving, primarily by Chinese OEMs.
A high-quality USB-C cable is required to handle the load, and Infinix will check this thanks to a microchip placed in the cable. That’s very similar to what Apple does, a proven method. Let’s hope these cables won’t be overpriced, as these microchips are Apple’s highest-margin business, say some Analysts.
If you don’t have a certified cable, the charging system will fall back to USB-PD standards such as 60W or 100W
Of course, such ultra-speed charging will create heat, and Infinix says it has put in place many sensors (20!) and software that constantly monitor and prevent overheating. A relatively cool temperature of 43C (109F) for the battery is the target to ensure a good ratio between charging speed and battery longevity.
The good news is that Thunder Charge is scheduled to be integrated into actual smartphone products slated for the “second half” of 2022.