By Kim Yoo-chul
Staff Reporter
Samsung SDI, the world’ No. 3 maker of secondary cells, plans to supply its latest lithium-ion batteries to U.S.-based computer makers including Dell and Hewlett-Packard (HP) from July this year.
``Recently, we finalized a deal with some U.S.-based leading computer makers to supply our lithium-ion batteries,’’ Samsung SDI said Tuesday.
Samsung SDI officials declined to elaborate on the deal but sources told The Korea Times that the clients are Dell and HP.
The battery, which will be used in laptop and ultra mobile PCs, has 7.7 percent more capacity, 10 percent more in-use-time and is quicker than the 2,600 mAh (milli ampere hour) rechargeable batteries mainly used in portable PCs.
``We will maintain our leadership in the market by introducing a 3,000 mAh rechargeable battery as soon as the demand for high-capacity secondary cells increases in line with greater consumer appetite for portable electronic gadgets,’’ a company spokesperson said.
Industry sources expect the demand for lithium-ion rechargeable batteries to reach 2.85 billion cells in 2008, an increase of 18 percent from the previous year, while demand for secondary cells for PCs will also rise 22 percent.
According to data from International Information Technology, Japan-based Sanyo took the top spot in the global secondary cell market with 21.3 percent last year. Sony and Samsung SDI followed with 14.6 percent and 13.3 percent, respectively.