Galaxy Watch 4 to use batteries from ATL and Samsung SDI

Samsung Electronics is planning to use batteries made by China’s Amperex Technology Limited (ATL) and Samsung SDI for its new smartwatch, tentatively called the Galaxy Watch 4, TheElec has learned.

The two battery makers will supply their products for the initial stock of the watches, people familiar with the matter said.

Samsung excluded ATL from its battery supply chain in 2017 after the Galaxy Note 7 fires. It resumed using batteries from the Chinese company in 2019. ATL supplied batteries for the recently launched Galaxy S21, as well as accessories and wearables the South Korean tech giant is selling around the same time.

ATL will supply its small polymer batteries for the 41mm version of the smartwatch. Samsung SDI is supplying batteries for the 45mm model. 

The 41mm model will have a 240mAh battery; the 45mm will have 350mAh.

This capacity is different from those for Galaxy Watch 3, which used a 247mAh battery for its 41mm model and 340mAh for the 45mm model.

These changes indicate that the printed circuit board and display panel designs have been changed for the Watch 4.

Samsung will also likely use Google Wear OS for the new watch rather than Tizen it sued for previous models.

The South Korean tech giant will likely continue to use ATL and Samsung SDI as battery suppliers for its watch products going forward.

The firm used coin-cell batteries from EVE Energy and Varta for some models of the Galaxy Buds wireless earphone brand, but it now uses those from Samsung SDI only.

Samsung’s use of ATL batteries is largely done to reduce cost.