Samsung is finally switching over to silicon-carbon batteries in the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series but, apparently, their lifespan is reduced by quite a bit.
According to EU regulatory documents, the silicon-carbon batteries in Galaxy Z Fold 8, Fold 8 Ultra, and Flip 8 are rated at 1,200~ charging cycles before hitting 80% capacity. That’s a pretty drastic cut from the 2,000~ cycles the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and other last-gen Samsung flagships were rated for.
A 1,200~ charge cycle rating isn’t totally out of the ordinary for Samsung, as we see that number across plenty of the company’s more affordable devices, but it is pretty low for a flagship, at least by Samsung’s standards.
Seeing as the battery tech is the only thing that changed, it’s likely silicon-carbon is to blame.
Silicon-carbon is inherently not as long-lasting as existing lithium-ion batteries, particularly as these batteries tend to enlarge in size later into their lifespans. That’s likely a part of the reason that Samsung didn’t push to a huge capacity upgrade on these new foldables. Silicon-carbon allows for a welcome upgrade in capacity without requiring thicker devices, but a higher capacity would require not only additional space now, but over the next several years.
