Samsung Galaxy S26 Edge Sticks to Lithium-Ion, Delays Silicon-Carbon Battery Adoption
August 31, 2025
Concerns stemming from Samsung's past battery failures, notably the Galaxy Note 7, contribute to a cautious approach toward adopting new battery technologies.
There are rumors that the Galaxy S26 Edge may replace the Galaxy S25 Plus, potentially resulting in a lineup of three flagship models for 2026.
Leaked certification documents confirm that Samsung will not switch to silicon-carbon batteries for the Galaxy S26 Edge, despite earlier rumors suggesting potential for larger capacities.
Samsung remains cautious about adopting silicon-carbon batteries due to safety concerns, aging issues, and regulatory hurdles, which have delayed their widespread use despite industry progress.
The upcoming Galaxy S26 Edge is expected to feature a modest battery upgrade to 4,200 mAh from 3,900 mAh in the Galaxy S25 Edge, but will continue using traditional lithium-ion batteries rather than adopting new silicon-carbon tech.
A switch to silicon-carbon batteries, which could have enabled around 5,000 mAh capacity, is not expected to happen until next year, further delaying Samsung's adoption of this advanced tech.
Samsung's decision to continue using lithium-ion batteries aligns with its cautious approach, especially given past battery-related issues like the Galaxy Note 7 failures.
Hardware and software optimizations will be essential to maximize the battery performance of the Galaxy S26 Edge, given the limited capacity increase.
Initial rumors suggested the Galaxy S26 series might feature silicon-carbon batteries with larger capacities, but these have not materialized.
Samsung's current Galaxy S25 is only Qi2 ready and lacks built-in magnets, indicating gradual updates in wireless charging standards rather than major battery technology shifts.
While other manufacturers like OnePlus are already using silicon-carbon batteries with capacities up to 6000 mAh, Samsung is likely to wait until safety and regulatory challenges are resolved before integrating this technology.
The transition to silicon-carbon batteries is anticipated to occur next year, meaning the Galaxy S26 Edge will stick with proven lithium-ion technology for now.
Summary based on 3 sources
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Sources

TechRadar • Aug 31, 2025
It looks like one Samsung Galaxy S26 Edge battery upgrade we were hoping for isn't happening
GSMArena • Aug 30, 2025
Samsung Galaxy S26 Edge won't be getting a significant battery upgrade after all