As Chinese smartphones boast massive 7,000mAh+ batteries, US and European consumers are stuck with smaller capacities, like the 5,000mAh in Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra or the 4,685mAh battery in the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Why the gap? Just cost-cutting? A new report points to outdated regulations as the culprit.
In China, flagship smartphones like the Xiaomi 15 Ultra (6,000mAh) and Vivo X200 Pro (6,000mAh) are pushing battery capacities toward a 7,000mAh norm by 2026. Yet, global versions often see reduced sizes—5,410mAh for the Xiaomi 15 Ultra in Germany and 5,200mAh for the Vivo X200 Pro in Europe. Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra, expected in 2026, sticks with a 5,000mAh battery, unchanged since the S20 Ultra in 2020.
The issue stems from regulations like US Federal Transportation Regulation 49 CFR 173.185, which limits lithium-ion battery cells to 20Wh (roughly 5,000mAh) to avoid classification as Class 9 “Dangerous Goods,” increasing shipping costs, per @UniverseIce. Similar EU restrictions may explain downsized batteries, though specifics remain unclear.
Chinese brands like Vivo and Xiaomi still face these government regulations in the US and EU, while non-Chinese brands like Samsung prioritize compliance over larger batteries.
Dual-cell batteries, as in the OnePlus 13 (6000mAh), offer a workaround, with each cell under 20Wh but totaling higher capacity. With China’s 2026 flagships reportedly eyeing 7,000+mAh batteries, the gap with Western markets may widen unless regulations evolve.
Lastly, what about the flip side? Are the phones from China with “massive” batteries really “unsafe” compared to the US-bound phones? Well, it doesn’t seem to be the case when you look at the recent incidents.
So, are these high-capacity batteries in Chinese phones actually unsafe compared to their global competitors? Not necessarily. Despite regulatory concerns, recent data doesn’t show a spike in battery-related incidents tied to these larger batteries. In fact, many recent incidents have involved Samsung flagships, despite their batteries being well within the so-called ‘safe’ size limits. It only suggests that current US and EU restrictions may be more about outdated standards than real-world risk.
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The post Reason why Samsung, Apple, and Google aren’t increasing battery sizes; and it’s not what you think appeared first on Gizmochina.
