Samsung SDI's batteries for wearable devices are displayed at the InterBattery exhibition at the COEX convention center in Seoul in this March photo. Courtesy of Samsung SDI

By Baek Byung-yeul

Samsung SDI is capitalizing on batteries used for wearable devices as smartwatches and wireless earbuds are becoming everyday items, the company said Friday.

Since launching curved battery cells for smart bands that boasted the industry's largest power-storage capacity in 2014, the company has released various kinds of small-sized batteries for the wearable device markets, bolstering its status as a leading company in batteries for wearable devices.

"Thanks to its hexagonal shape, our battery helped maximize the space efficiency of wearable devices as manufacturers can use more room inside their gadgets compared to using conventional square pouch-type batteries," a company official said.

The batteries for wearable devices are manufactured in various forms reflecting the characteristics of wearable devices which are worn on our bodies. Many manufacturers are developing different shapes of batteries depending on the application of the wearable products.

According to market tracker B3 Research, Samsung SDI accounted for 18 percent of the global small-sized battery market as of the end of 2021. Now, more electric vehicles are equipped with a large number of small batteries, making it hard to conclude that Samsung SDI is the No. 1 player in the small battery market. But the company has led the market by developing various types of small batteries.

Samsung SDI said its batteries for wearable devices are increasingly used in wireless earbuds. The product, which is also called true wireless stereo (TWS), was received well in the market and is contributing to the expansion of the overall wearable device market.

Market tracker Canalysis said 103.8 million TWS devices were exported in the fourth quarter of 2021, exceeding the 100 million milestone per quarter for the first time. Annual shipments in 2021 grew to 300 million as well, proving that wireless earbuds are entering the stage of universal usage.

To capitalize on the fast-growing wireless earbuds market, Samsung SDI is supplying its Coin Cell battery that is the size of a small nail and has the advantage of increasing space efficiency allowing device manufacturers to design their gadgets in various sizes.

Samsung SDI develops small-sized batteries that can meet market requirements and supplies them to wearable devices such as Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Buzz Live and the Galaxy Watch.

The company expects there will be more applications using its small batteries because various wearable devices such as exoskeleton wearable devices that assist a person's movement will be released in the market.