- Samsung is reportedly adding authentication chips to its Galaxy A Series of smartphones
- Security chips will help distinguish safe, genuine batteries from fake third-party replacements
- They also make the lithium recycling process a lot smoother
Samsung could be making quite a big change to certain Galaxy Phone models — the Korean tech giant is tipped to add security chips to batteries starting next year.
The report comes from The Elec, which says the new security-chipped batteries will roll out to roughly 50 million devices, starting with Samsung’s low-end and mid-range Galaxy A series (which make up the largest share of Samsung’s smartphone sales). It would mark the first time the company adds a layer of security to its phone batteries, but the company hasn’t confirmed anything yet.
According to the report, the chips will be manufactured using Samsung Electronics' 28-nanometer foundry process, using VIA PUF (physical unclonable function) technology to create unique identities for each one. It’s believed that analog devices in the US (ADI) and ICTK in South Korea will split the supply of authentication chips.
So what’s the reason behind this? Well, there are several, but the main purpose is to put an end to fake replacements destroying your devices.
If your smartphone battery is nearing the end of its life, it’s safer to get a new one by going through Samsung’s official repair services, so you know you’re getting a replacement from the company itself. However, some users find it more convenient and cost-effective to opt for a third-party replacement service, but the quality isn’t always guaranteed.
For one, these types of batteries aren’t always built to the standard of quality you get with ones manufactured by Samsung itself, which could pave the way for further battery issues and even lead to fires while charging or during use. So, these embedded authentication chips not only identify genuine Samsung batteries from dodgy ones, but could be the one and only component that prevents your home from being engulfed in flames.
Reinforcing quality and safety is a no-brainer, but there’s also a sustainability element to battery authentication chips. Using chips makes it a lot easier for repairers to review battery usage history, allowing them to customize the lithium recycling process based on the state of individual batteries, instead of recycling batteries with different characteristics using the same method.
If the reports are on the money, then Samsung's authentication chips should arrive roughly around the same time the new EU regulations come into force. As of February 2027, the EU will require phone makers to fit 'readily removable' batteries, but as Gagadget.com notes, there's also the EU Battery Regulation 2023/1542.
What this means is that as of February 2027, industrial and EV batteries must have digital battery passports for identification purposes. While this applies to vehicles and not smartphones (yet), it appears that Samsung is getting a head start, preparing itself for a potential change of law.
Unlike Apple, which started integrating authentication chips in 2018 with the launch of the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, this would be the first time Samsung introduces a similar technology to its own smartphones, so it’s been a long time coming, to say the least.
As mentioned, Samsung hasn’t commented on anything yet, but we’ll update this story if and when we hear more.
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