Cell Phone Battery FAQs

All cell phones come equipped with either a nickel cadmium (NiCad), a nickel metal hydride (NiMH), or a lithium ion (LiIon) battery. But most people don't think much about them until their cell phones

What kinds of batteries are available?

There are three main types of batteries:

1. NiCad batteries have the shortest usage times and are prone to memory effect, which occurs when batteries are recharged before they have been fully discharged.
2. NiMH batteries are typically less bulky than NiCad batteries and hold a charge 50 percent to 100 percent longer than NiCads. While they do not have the recharging problems that plague NiCad batteries, they can fade in extreme temperatures.
3. LiIon batteries offer the longest battery life in the smallest package. They can provide up to five hours of talk time. LiIon batteries are much smaller than NiCad batteries and don't experience the same recharging problems. However, this power comes at a cost — LiIon batteries are more expensive than other types.