In recent years, higher charging speeds have become one of the more prominent distinctive factors in a smartphone, and companies, especially those in China, have demonstrated how far they can go. Last year, Xiaomi showed off 100W charging in a prototype, only to be beaten by Vivo with its 120W charging technology. Of course, those were tech demos, and in reality, the fastest charging speed you can get right now is 65W on phones such as the OPPO Find X2 Pro.
However, the idea of 100W charging on a phone may not be that far off, according to a new rumor on Weibo (via Android Authority). Digital Chat Station, a well-known leaker on the social network, said that in 2021, gaming phone companies will tout 100W charging alongside a purported Snapdragon 875 chipset as the main selling points. The user goes further to say that "three out of the four" Chinese gaming smartphone brands are testing and preparing to sell phones with 100W fast charging.
It's not completely clear which manufacturers would even be included in these four, though the Honor Play family, Xiaomi's Black Shark, Nubia's Red Magic, and Vivo's Iqoo lineup are all possibilities. Another candidate could be Lenovo with its Legion brand. For months, the company has been teasing its own gaming smartphone, and even promising 90W charge speeds, but the device remains elusive.
Even with current charging technology, some reports have found that extremely fast charging can dramatically reduce a battery's lifespan. If 100W charging does come to fruition, it remains to be seen if (and how) these problems are addressed and whether the benefits outweigh the negative consequences.
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