Charging speeds aren’t the most exciting topic to talk about when it comes to the latest smartphone release, however, it’s still an important spec to keep an eye on. If you’ve been following releases from other manufacturers, such as the vivo, then you’ll remember the X Fold 2 and X Flip launched last week with some very impressive charging speeds. For example, the X Fold 2 sports 120W wired charging—while the X Flip—offers a slower, but respectable, 44W wired charging rate.
This may have gotten many Samsung fans excited about what the South Korean giant has planned to offer when it releases the Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 later this year. Unfortunately, the wired charging specs for Samsung’s latest foldables have leaked, and there’s not much to be thrilled about. According to the latest certification from the China Compulsory Certificate filing, both the Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 are rated for the same 25W charging as their predecessors.
It’s even more disappointing considering the X Fold 2 offers 50W wireless charging, making it double the speed that Samsung’s latest foldable smartphones will offer through a wired connection. It’s possible Samsung is playing it safe after its debacle with the Note 7 phone from years ago.
If you don’t remember, there was a catastrophic failure with the Note 7 lineup where a number of the phones caught fire due to the battery. After several instances of the handset catching fire, airlines began to ban them, and eventually, Samsung recalled the entire stock. Many of us wondered if Samsung’s brand would be forever tarnished by the exploding Note 7, so it’s hard to blame the company for wanting to play it safe these days.
Furthermore, heat is the enemy when it comes to rechargeable batteries. The more heat that is generated, the faster it wears down the battery. This leads to a shorter lifespan for the battery and your phone. Nothing generates more heat than increasing the charging rate, and by sticking to 25W Samsung may be trying to ensure a longer life for your expensive handset. Regardless, it’s always best to offer a faster rate with the ability to limit it via software. Then, you at least have the option to charge faster if you require it.
It’s also rumored that the Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 will retain the same battery capacity. Although, there have been whispers that the Z Flip could see a slightly smaller battery, but that has yet to be confirmed. In any case, the Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 are both expected to launch with “For Galaxy” versions of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset which proved to provide fantastic battery life. At least if you won’t be able to charge faster, the battery life should still be improved over last year’s models.
