Qualcomm's Quick Charge 5: Your phone gets 50% charge in 5 minutes, full battery in 15
The next generation of smartphones with Qualcomm's new Quick Charge 5 system should be able to reach a 50% charge in five minutes and a full charge in just 15 minutes.
The technology, just announced by Qualcomm, will come in handy for anyone pressed for time and heading to a place they can't recharge. Qualcomm says the latest iteration of its Quick Charge technology should be available in new Android devices in Q3 2020.
Smartphones
While Xiaomi and Oppo have demonstrated similarly fast-charging technology in the past, they were just experiments and weren't necessarily for the industry.
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The fact Quick Charge 5 is from Qualcomm means it will be available across the industry, giving new high-end handsets the capability to recharge batteries within minutes with 100W charging.
The technology will be available on devices with the Snapdragon 865 system on chip as well as "future premium and high-tier Snapdragon mobile platforms", according to Qualcomm.
Qualcomm's tests were based on a 4,500mAh battery, and the company says it is up to 70% more efficient, up to four times faster and 10°C, 50°F, cooler than Quick Charge 4.
Quick Charge 5 also supports 2S batteries and 20V power delivery, as well as USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) and USB Type-C.
While Quick Charge 5 is compatible with earlier versions of Quick Charge, Qualcomm is now offering device manufacturers the new SMB1396 and SMB1398 power-management integrated circuits for optimal performance.
Qualcomm's technology could offer an answer to limitations Xiaomi discovered with its 100W fast-charging technology. The Chinese handset maker revealed earlier this year that 100W charging requires a big battery because of the toll it takes on the battery capacity over time.
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But Xiaomi is on board with Qualcomm's Quick Charge 5 solution because of its ability to extend a device's battery life and reduce thermal output.
"Xiaomi has always been committed to proactively driving the adoption of new technologies and accelerating the fulfillment of enhanced experiences," said Zhang Lei, Mi Phone vice president and hardware R&D general manager at Xiaomi
"In the future, more Xiaomi users will be able to enjoy high-speed, safe and superior charging experiences enabled by Quick Charge 5."
Quick Charge 5 will be available on Snapdragon 865 system on chip devices and future high-end Snapdragon mobile platforms.