New charging standard promises full charge in less than 15 minutes

'Qualcomm's Quick Charge 5 not only provides superior charging capabilities but helps intelligently extend a device's battery life,' says Xiaomi manager

The new charging standard can provide a full charge in under 15 minutes. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Smartphones could soon be able to fully recharge in under 15 minutes after a new fast-charging standard was introduced.

Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 5 will also allow phones to charge from 0 to 50 per cent in just five minutes, as well as introduce new safety features to prevent overheating.

The “world’s fastest commercial charging solution” will be up to four-times faster than current charging technologies, according to Qualcomm, and will find its way into commercial devices before the end of the year.

It will be compatible with more than 250 smartphones, though it is not a feature that Apple supports. This means that only Androids, not iPhones, will benefit from the technology.

Apple’s equivalent fast charging technology currently allows iPhones to achieve a 50 per cent charge in 30 minutes.

Compatible phones for Quick Charge 5 include the Samsung Galaxy S20 5G, LG V30 and Nokia 8.

Backwards compatibility will also mean that older Quick Charge devices will also work with the new charging system

“Quick Charge 5, our fastest and most versatile charging solution, will enable consumers to enjoy their devices for longer periods of time, without worrying about the time required to recharge,” said Ev Roach, VP of product management at Qualcomm.

Previous battery charging breakthroughs have slashed charging times to similar levels, however they are yet to make it out of the laboratory.

Zhang Lei, general manager at Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi, added: “The latest generation of Quick Charge 5 not only provides superior charging capabilities but helps intelligently extend a device’s battery life and reduce thermal output.”