Handset Juice: Will The Battery Keep Up With The Need?

Over the years, battery technology has evolved rapidly. No sooner had Ni-Cad batteries become the power source in most handsets, than Ni-MH batteries arrived on the scene. Shortly thereafter, Li-ion arrived, and then Li-Ion Polymer. Today there is much talk on fuel cells, and how they will change the way we look at batteries.

This report is intended to help you wade through the hype, and get a better understanding on where batteries have been, and where they will be going. Included is a background on battery and fuel cell technology, along with a forecast of handset battery units by battery technology, average selling prices by technology, and revenue by technology. Also included is a look at fuel cell technology, and a look at several companies, which are developing fuel cells for the handset market. Fuel cell forecasts are included as well.

Executive Summary

Methodology

Introduction

Technology Overview

Sealed Lead Acid

Advantages of sealed lead acid batteries

Disadvantages of sealed lead acid batteries

Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cad)

Advantages of Nickel Cadmium batteries

Disadvantages of Nickel Cadmium batteries

Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH)

Advantages of Nickel Metal Hydride batteries

Disadvantages of Nickel Metal Hydride batteries

Lithium Ion (Li-Ion)

Coke or Graphite

Cylindrical or Prismatic (Rectangular)

Japanese Domination

Advantages of Lithium Ion batteries

Disadvantages of Lithium Ion batteries

Lithium-ion Polymer (Li-Poly)

Advantages of Lithium Polymer batteries

Disadvantages of Lithium Polymer batteries

Other Lithium Ion Types

Future Battery Types

Fuel Cells

The Bad

The Good

Fuel Cells and Aircraft

Life with a fuel cell cell

Applications

Advantages of Fuel Cell batteries

Disadvantages of Fuel Cell batteries

Conclusion

Forecasts

Fuel Cell Manufacturers

Casio Computer Co.

Manhattan Scientifics/Energy Related Devices

Mechanical Technology

Medis Technologies

Motorola

PolyFuel

Shen-Li High Tech

Sony Corporation

Toshiba

UTC Fuel Cells

List of Tables

Table 1. Handset Battery Revenue Forecast By Sales Channel (US$M)

Table 2. Battery Chemistry Comparison

Table 3. Typical Cell Chemistry (Electrodes & Electrolyte)

Table 4. Handset Battery Units Forecast By Sales Channel (In Thousands)

Table 5. Handset Battery Revenue Forecast By Sales Channel (US$M)

Table 6. Handset Battery Units Forecast By Chemistry (In Thousands)

Table 7. Handset Battery Revenue Forecast By Chemistry (In Thousands)

Table 8. Battery Average Selling Price Forecast (ASP) By Chemistry (US$)

List of Figures

Figure 1. Handset Battery Units Forecast By Sales Channel (In Thousands)

Figure 2. Handset Battery Revenue Forecast By Sales Channel (US$M)

Figure 3. Handset Battery Units Forecast By Chemistry (In Thousands)

Figure 4. Handset Battery Revenue Forecast By Chemistry (US$M)

Figure 5. Average Handset Talk Consumption, 1990 - 2006 (mW)

Figure 6. Average Handset Standby Consumption, 1990-2006 (mW)

Figure 7. Average Handset Battery Capacity, 1990-2006 (Watt/Hours)

Figure 8. MTI Prototype Fuel Cell Pack

Figure 9. Medis Prototype Fuel Cell

Figure 10. Toshiba Prototype PDA with Integrated Fuel Cell