If you use a phone or a tablet, you probably also have a power bank to charge them on the go, aside from your wall charger. These handy portable chargers are commonly used today, but have you ever wondered how they came about? In this article, we'll go over the history of power banks and look at how they evolved from humble origins into the reliable portable charging powerhouses we know and rely on today. Plug in your USB cable, turn on your power bank, and let's dive right in!
1. Unclear Origins
Let’s begin by addressing the important questions: “Who invented the power bank and when was it invented?” However, there’s no clear answer to either of those questions, as no single individual or company is officially or legally attributed to the invention of the power bank as we know it today, nor do we have a definite date for when the first power bank was invented.
Instead, multiple companies and brands claim that they were the first ones to come up with the concept of a portable charger. Some companies claim to have created it to provide power to a Chinese Antarctic expedition in 2004, while other parties claim that the prototype of a power bank was first publicly introduced at the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show in 2001, where a group of college students connected a pair of AA batteries to a closed circuit.
2. Entering the Commercial Market
The first commercial power bank brands and products entered the market around 2004-2006, This laid the foundations for the power bank industry and market today, but these early models were still bulky and still in the early stages of development and experimentation, nowhere near power banks as we know them today.
3. Rise in Popularity Along With Widespread Use of Smartphones
As smartphones started gaining more popularity, so did power banks. This is because early smartphones did not have the same long-lasting battery life that we now take for granted, which created a demand for portable charging as users needed a way to charge while they were on the move and did not have access to a power outlet.
With this, the popularity of power banks skyrocketed as various brands and companies began to enter the market, so power banks began to be widespread and more commonly used. With gradual advancements in USB cables and charging technologies like wireless chargers and USB Type-C, the designs, features and capabilities of power banks were also refined and improved along with them.
4. Modern Power Banks and Their Features
Today, power banks and portable chargers are used worldwide to charge all sorts of devices, from smartphones to tablets, and some specific high-power power banks can even be used to jump-start your car battery!
These reliable portable chargers are jam-packed with all sorts of advanced portable charging capabilities and features like LED screens to indicate the amount of charge they have left, wireless charging and ultra-fast charging, as well as various safety features to prevent problems like overheating and overcharging and keep you and your devices safe and charged up.
The evolution of power banks continues to this day, with innovations and developments constantly being made to enhance their functionality, efficiency, and convenience. Who knows what else the future has in store?
Introducing the GP M2+ Series PowerBank
With all that said, if you’re looking for a power bank that charges your devices ultra-quickly and reliably, check out our GP M2+ Series PowerBank! With capacities of 10000mAh and 20000mAh, the M2+ PowerBank offers ultra-fast charging that can boost your phone to 58% in just 30 minutes*. It can recharge your smartphone twice with the 10000mAh version and four times with the 20000mAh version* before needing a recharge. Even after being depleted, it only takes around 4-7 hours before it’s charged and ready to go again. Most importantly, the GP M2+ Series PowerBank comes with six different types of safety protection including overcharging, short circuit, and loopback protection. It is also available in several different colour schemes, so you can keep your devices charged up in style!
Now that we've covered the history and evolution of the power bank from its development to the present day, we hope you've gained some extra appreciation for these useful gadgets! To go along with your trusty power bank, take a look at our range of USB cables and charging adapters at GP Batteries today!
