LONDON: A British technology company is celebrating a major smartphone breakthrough after developing the world’s first hydrogen-powered battery.
Intelligent Energy, believed to be working closely with Apple, claim the design will charge your iPhone for a week.
It has incorporated a fuel cell system into the current iPhone 6 without any alteration to the size or shape of the device, The Telegraph reported.
The prototype contains both a rechargeable battery and its own patented technology, which creates electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen.
The only difference compared with other handsets is rear vents so an imperceptible amount of water vapour can escape.
Intelligent Energy said it is now considering the cartridges’ sale price.
Executives believe that for the price of a latte, a market worth as much as £300bn a year could open up.
Henri Winand, chief executive of Intelligent Energy, who refused to comment on rumours of Apple involvement, said: “To our knowledge this has never been done before.
“We have now managed to make a fuel cell so thin we can fit it to the existing chassis without alterations and retaining the rechargeable battery.
“This is a major step because if you are moving to a new technology you have to give people a path they are comfortable with.”
On the prototype iPhone, hydrogen gas is refuelled via an adapted headphone socket.
For the commercial launch, the company is developing a disposable cartridge that would slot into the bottom of future smartphones and contain enough hydrogen-releasing powder for a week of normal use without recharging.
Mark Lawson-Statham, the company’s corporate finance chief said: “Our view is that this is a couple of years out but really it’s about how quickly does our partner want to press the button and get on with it?”
