Samsung SDI develops phone-charging handbags on the go

Samsung SDI has become a huge hit as a supplier of small batteries to a U.S. handbag maker, which Electronics industry sources consider as a successful combination of IT and non-IT. When Samsung SDI`s small battery is put into a handbag, the mobile phone is automatically charged.

U.S.-based high-tech fashion firm Everpurse had launched the bag to help busy working women freely charge batteries. If people put in Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5S inside the pocket of the bag, the phone is attached to the built-in charger terminal, which serves as a supplementary battery. At home, people can charge mobile phones by just putting the bag on the charge pad. Immediately after its launch, the product was introduced in NBC`s Today Show and ABC`s Good Morning America, pulling in massive sales.

Everpurse, however, was agonized at the increasing popularity. If the battery is made bigger to increase charge time, it will weigh more and the bag will have less room for storage. On the other hand, if the battery is made smaller for the sake of design, battery charging time will be reduced.

To find a breakthrough, Everpurse came to visit Samsung SDI`s North American office in early this year. After a consultation process with its Seoul headquarters` research center, Samsung SDI suggested loading a higher energy-density small battery.

Everpurse immediately signed a supply contract with Samsung SDI and received the first order of 10,000 batteries. As of now, the American handbag company has all its battery-charging handbags using Samsung SDI`s batteries. Everpurse is likely to boost further sales of its phone-charging handbags as the company release the second lineup soon along with Apple`s release of iPhone 6.

"Thanks to phone-charging handbags, we can now expect a possible indefinite potential of secondary batteries," a Samsung SDI source said. "When flexible batteries are commercialized within two to three years, battery technology can be adopted in more various products."