Panasonic is always looking to improve the life of their batteries and so they have just announced a new battery that lasts 30% longer than today’s lithium ion batteries. Instead of a graphite anode, the new rechargeable lithium ion batteries will use an anode made of silicon alloy. Panasonic even claims that after 500 charge/discharge cycles, the batteries will still retain 80% of their capacity.

That’s pretty huge when it comes to battery life. Aimed specifically at laptops, Panasonic says that the new battery technology will be produced in volume starting in 2012.

[Dvice]