Samsung Electro-Mechanics, the electronic parts subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, on Thursday announced it will advance its solid-state battery technology for wearable devices, with goals for mass production by next year.
At a press conference held on the sidelines of the CES in Las Vegas, Samsung Electro-Mechanics CEO Chang Duk-hyun outlined the company’s new business strategies, including plans for solid-state batteries and glass substrates.
“We have secured energy density and capacity characteristics at the industry-leading level,” Chang told reporters. “Since this is a novel technology, there are unknowns until mass production begins, but we have conducted extensive internal testing and are in discussions with clients.”
The firm plans to invest in production facilities for solid-state batteries and supply prototypes this year and start mass production next year.
Samsung’s solid-state batteries, which are oxide-based, boasts an energy density of 200 watt-hours per liter, which is on par with bigger conventional lithium-ion batteries. The firm expects the small solid-state battery, which offer enhanced safety, design flexibility and energy efficiency, could replace lithium batteries in small IT devices, including wearables.
Another important product in the pipeline is glass substrates for semiconductors, dubbed a “game-changer” in the chip industry, which could potentially replace traditional plastic materials for chip packaging. The company said it has established a pilot line at its Sejong plant and plans to start mass production after 2027, following sampling for customers this year.
“I cannot disclose the specific client, but we are in talks with multiple clients,” the CEO said, adding that the company plans to sample products to two or three customers this year.
Last year, Samsung Electro-Mechanics started supplying silicon capacitor samples to clients. This year, it hopes to mass-produce them for high-performance semiconductor packages and AI servers.
Silicon capacitors, made using silicon wafers, allow chip packaging to be designed slimmer and can be placed closer to high-performance system semiconductors, facilitating high-speed data transmission. Despite their small size, they have high storage capacity and stable performance even under conditions like high temperature and pressure.
“We have secured about two customers this year,” said Chang. “We hope to mass-produce this year and deliver meaningful revenue of over 100 billion won ($68.57 million) within one to two years.”
On Samsung’s plan to set up a production base for automotive electronic camera modules in Mexico, Chang said the plan is on hold and the firm is scouting for alternative locations, amid concerns that President-elect Donald Trump could impose tariffs on goods imported from Mexico.
“We are holding off on the Mexico plant due to some unresolved issues and are exploring other locations,” said Chang. “Supply chain flexibility is critical and we aim to be flexible to accommodate multiple clients.”
