LG Working On Flexible, Non-Rectangular Batteries For Bendable Electronics

The smartphone and electronics world is steadily marching towards new form factors for devices that are bendable and flexible rather than the rigid smartphones and tablets we know today. LG Display announced a big breakthrough that will help usher in flexible electronics with a bendable smartphone display that entered mass production recently. LG is also working on another key component to flexible electronic devices.

LG's chemical division is working on new battery technology that will create non-rectangular and flexible batteries. Most existing batteries for smartphones are hard rectangular devices that can't be bent. The rectangular size also means that many of these batteries don't take up all of the available space inside of a smartphone or other device.

LG notes that it has been producing a step battery design involving placing two batteries, with one smaller than the other, on top of each other. LG says that this non-traditional battery design allows them to fill the gap left by non-traditional back covers. LG is also producing curved batteries designed to go with curved screen or flexible devices such as smartphones and other wearable electronics.

The most interesting battery breakthrough is something called cable batteries that are designed to be flexible, wearable, and can be tied into different shapes. These cable batteries are said to be waterproof making them suitable for wearable devices and curved smartphones. Before the flexible batteries turn up, LG plans to increase its step battery design up to 3 to 4 steps. LG has begun manufacturing the cable batteries, but there is no timeframe suggesting when they might be available for the commercial market.

SOURCE: Android Community