We've recently been hit with a barrage of hype around AI for smartphones, from Gemini Live to Apple Intelligence for phones like the incoming iPhone 16 – but a new blazingly-fast charging tech that's just been demoed by Chinese brand RealMe is arguably more exciting for many phone users than the latest AI developments.
As spotted by The Verge, RealMe revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that it's developed a new record-breaking 320W SuperSonic Charge technology. In the video demo, the tech fully recharges a smartphone from 1% to 100% in just four-and-a-half minutes – so quick enough for a full top-up while you down your morning coffee.
These ludicrous charging speeds are possible thanks to a couple of technologies, at both ends of the pipeline. One is a 4,420mAh battery that's split into four cells, which each have a 'folded' design (which Realme says was inspired by foldable solar panels), and which are connected by a flexible charging board.
320W SuperSonic Charge is officially unveiled today! Click the video to learn more about the technology behind it and see how long it takes to charge a phone fully!#realme828Fanfest #320WFastestCharge pic.twitter.com/osefpxcRlTAugust 14, 2024
If you're worried about the potential safety ramifications of such incredibly fast charging, Realme says it has that covered – the setup apparently charges at a max of 20V to reduce heat and make it as safe as standard chargers.
At the other end of the cable is Realme's Pocket Cannon charger, which offers a 320W total output and has two USB-C ports that can blast out 150W to compatible smartphones. The only downside is that, so far, there aren't any smartphones that officially support the new charging setup, but we imagine that'll change soon.
The fast-charging arms race
As someone who's considering upgrading to an iPhone 16 Pro, these kind of fast-charging advances excite me more than most of the AI-powered software features I've seen so far.
Many of Apple Intelligence's best features, like the upgraded Siri, may not land until 2025, whereas I could make use of some speedy new charging powers immediately – and all without the looming threat of a future subscription.
The current fast-charging estimate for iPhones (for the iPhone 8 and onwards) is that you can get "up to 50 per cent battery in around 30 minutes", according to Apple. You could argue that it's diminishing returns from there – in many situations, you just need an emergency top-up – but battery advances are still a useful, quality-of-upgrade.
It's a space that the leading Chinese smartphone brands have battling over lately, with the Realme GT 3 making big advances with its impressive 240W speeds, while last year Xiaomi set new records with its 300W charger, which took a phone from flat to 100% in four minutes 54 seconds.
While questions remain about the longevity of the batteries that can use this ultra fast-charging tech, it'll be interesting to see if Apple and the major Android players adopt some version of it. We've even previously argued that the kind of speeds offered by Realme have ruined the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy series for us.
