Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro' charging case uses EVE Energy’s battery

The charging case of Samsung Electronics’ wireless earphones, the Galaxy Buds Pro, will be powered by EVE Energy’s battery, TheElec has learned.

The Chinese company is supplying 472mAh small polymer battery. The same battery was previous used for Samsung’s wearable devices such as the Galaxy Watch.

Fellow Chinese company ATL (Amperex Technology Limited) had previously supplied the same battery to Samsung.

EVE Energy won Samsung as a customer with the Galaxy Buds Plus, supplying the coin-cell battery for that earphone. 

But after Varta filed a patent violation lawsuit against Samsung last year, the Korean company used Varta’s batteries for its Galaxy Buds Live. Samsung SDI also developed its own coin-cell battery and supplied to Samsung, seemingly pushing EVE Energy out.

But EVE Energy is now back in Samsung’s supply chain with supply of batteries for the charging case of the Galaxy Buds Pro.

The South Korean tech giant is likely using EVE Energy’s battery to control cost. Small polymer battery costs between US$4 to US$5 __ batteries used in batter costs US$6 to US$8. Despite being much smaller, batteries in wearable devices and earphones can be costly.

Samsung is also using ATL batteries for the initial stock of Galaxy S21 smartphones. The company’s expansion of original design manufacturing (ODM) has expanded its dealing with more battery makers.

ATL had previously supplied batteries for Galaxy A and M series, which are mid-tier models. BYD has also supplied batteries for these models.

More Chinese companies are expanding into small polymer batteries, a person familiar with the matter said. EVE Energy is running a joint venture with Korean battery giant SK Innovation, and is expecting its footing in the global battery market, they said.