StoreDot wants to charge your smartphone in 30 seconds

The company's technology, which was shown working on a Samsung Galaxy S4, actually won't be available for years. But still...

• by Don Reisinger  @donreisinger
• April 7, 2014 5:47 AM PDT

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StoreDot, an Israel-based startup, is developing a technology that promises to charge your smartphone battery in 30 seconds. Just don't expect to get your hands on it anytime soon.

StoreDot on Monday unveiled its battery-charging prototype at Microsoft's Think Next Conference in Tel Aviv. The company showed how its technology can be used to fully charge a nearly empty Samsung Galaxy S4 within 30 seconds -- an exceedingly brief time in a world dominated by chargers that can take hours to replenish battery life.

So far, the StoreDot prototype only works with Samsung's last-gen handset. StoreDot says that it's focusing on getting its technology to work with other phones.

StoreDot's focus wasn't initially on charging batteries. The company has been constructing semiconductors built from peptides, which are organic amino acids that, when linked together, create proteins. Peptides have become popular among body-builders because of their protein creation and have been found to have a wide range of applications for skin care. StoreDot believes peptides can also come in handy for charging smartphone batteries.

Smartphone battery charging has become a highly sought-after market for startups. The main trend now is the development of wireless battery charging.

Based on StoreDot's video, the company is not relying on wireless charging for its technology. In fact, the company's charger is currently the size of an average laptop charger. When connected to a smartphone's battery, the charger sets the peptides into motion, dramatically reducing charge time, StoreDot says.

Despite the technology's seeming promise, it won't be available anytime soon. The StoreDot prototype currently only works with the Galaxy S4, and StoreDot is working on adding handsets, as well as reducing its charger size. The company hopes to start producing consumer-ready chargers in late 2016. It's not clear when the devices might actually hit store shelves.

CNET has contacted StoreDot for comment. We will update this story when we have more information.

(Via WSJ)