Chinese brands dominate smartphone battery capacity with silicon-carbon tech

A new report from Counterpoint Research reveals that the average battery capacity of smartphones globally has jumped to 5,291mAh in January 2026, driven largely by Chinese OEMs that are increasingly using silicon-carbon batteries.

Apple and samsung fall behind in battery war

While the top two brands, Apple and Samsung, continue to focus on premium features and designs, their battery capacities have stagnated.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max's 4,823mAh battery and the Galaxy S26 Ultra's 5,000mAh cell pale in comparison to the average of 5,291mAh.

Counterpoint's data shows that only 29% of smartphones sold in January 2026 had battery capacities of 6,000mAh or more, up from just 10% in January 2025.

Among the top 10 best-selling smartphones with 6,000mAh or larger batteries, the Xiaomi Redmi 15C 4G and Honor X70 5G took the top two spots, with the latter boasting an impressive 8,300mAh power pack.

The research suggests that Apple and Samsung need to catch up with the battery Technology used by Chinese brands if they want to remain competitive.

Counterpoint notes that silicon-carbon batteries, employed by Xiaomi and Honor, can offer more capacity without increasing battery thickness.

Apple and Samsung likely await further development of this tech before adopting it in their devices.

Strict guidelines on battery sizing in regions like Europe and North America also contribute to the disparity in battery capacities between Chinese and Western handsets.

However, Samsung is reportedly working on a massive battery upgrade for the Galaxy S27 Ultra, while Apple may use its biggest-ever battery in the upcoming iPhone Fold.

With Chinese brands leading the charge in battery tech, it remains to be seen if Apple and Samsung can respond effectively to this shift.