A lithium cell phone battery is a battery that uses lithium ions in order to power a cell phone device. Batteries are one of the most common and most needed cell phone accessories and consumers today are demanding greater capacities and conveniences. The lithium battery technology is relatively new and offers distinct advantages over other rechargeable batteries such as nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride.
It should be noted that lithium cell phone battery is not the technically correct term. A lithium battery cannot be recharged and thus has very limited use as a power source for cellular phones, though one-use batteries or charges do exist for cell phones. What most people are referring to when they talk about this type of phone battery is a lithium-ion battery, which is capable of being recharged.
That being said, a lithium cell phone battery has a number of advantages over other battery technologies. A longer life, better recharge features, and durability are just a few of those. While the initial acquisition costs may be higher, the long-term benefits of a lithium-ion battery are clear and likely to be cost effective.
One of the most criticized recharge features of many rechargeable battery types is referred to as the battery "memory." In other words, it has to be drained completely and then recharged completely or it loses a good portion of its charge potential very quickly. Lithium batteries have no such limitation. In fact, this is one of the things that makes this type of battery so desirable. Many cell phone users prefer to recharge their phones before the battery is completely exhausted.
The life of the lithium cell phone battery is another reason why it is so highly sought after. In the earlier days of cell phones, talk time was often 30 minutes or less, with standby time only as much as 24 hours. Each time battery life has increased substantially, it has been because of battery technology. Those looking for an extended cell phone battery will likely be looking for a lithium battery, or be directed in that direction by an employee of a cell phone retailer.
In addition to the time given between charges, lithium batteries also have the capacity to accept more charge and discharge cycles than other battery forms. In most cases, a lithium battery will take between 300 and 500 cycles before it loses its ability to hold a charge. This can be especially important for cell phones, given the frequency they are recharged.
