Phone Batteries Keep Getting Better. So Why Are We Always Charging?

Phone batteries have gotten more efficient, but heavier use of cameras, AI, GPS and always-on apps still leaves many people charging daily.

A CNET survey shows battery life remains a major frustration and a key factor in upgrade decisions for consumers.

Chinese brands such as Honor, Huawei and Oppo are adopting silicon-carbon batteries for higher capacity and faster charging.

Apple, Samsung and Google have not yet widely used silicon-carbon batteries, though that could change with models like the Galaxy S26.