Cell phone batteries demystified
Battery types explained Not many people pay attention, but if you take a closer look at the fine print on your battery, you might learn some interesting facts. The amount of energy contained in your mobile phone battery is measured in mAh (milliamp hours). A battery with an 800mAh capacity will theoretically last longer than one with a 550mAh capacity. However, the actual battery life also depends on the power management within the phone itself. Handphones these days can last several days on standby, using a humble 550mAh battery. Much more power is still needed for the phone transmitter, why maximum talktime is still limited to a few hours. In general, the heavier and larger the battery, the greater the mAh capacity. Advances in battery technology, though, have allowed manufacturers to squeeze more power into a smaller volume. On the ladder of battery evolution, nickel cadmium (NiCad) was first introduced for commercial use, followed by nickel-metal hydride (NiMH); Lithium-ion (Li-ion); and Lithium-Polymer (Li-Po).
As an illustration, a 550mAh NiMH battery can be the same size as a Li-ion
battery that holds as much as 840mAh. Because of this, Li-ion versions, which are more costly than batteries cost more than NiMH ones, are often used in higher-end phones where concerns about compactness outweigh those about price.
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