Anker CEO Says Power Banks Will Die: What It Means for You 2026

Anker, the company that became a household name selling power banks, has a stark warning: power banks are going to die. In a recent interview, CEO Yang Meng said that portable batteries may not be a profitable product category in the coming years and "could disappear in a few years."

The statement might sound surprising from a company that built its reputation on exactly these devices. But Anker has evolved, and Yang's comments offer a window into where the portable charging market is headed.

Who is Anker and why does this matter?

Anker is a Chinese company founded in 2011 by a former Google software engineer. It now operates three main pillars: Anker (batteries and chargers), Soundcore (audio), and Eufy (smart home). The company knows how to make money and which products will survive the future. Power banks, apparently, may not be one of them.

Yang Meng's prediction carries weight because Anker has been a dominant player in the power bank space. When the CEO of a market leader says a category is dying, it's worth paying attention.

The golden era of power banks is over

Power banks had their golden age between 2012 and 2022. During that decade, smartphones became ubiquitous, battery life struggled to keep up, and portable chargers filled a critical gap. But according to Yang, the category is now in decline.

Market projections point to increasingly slow growth, and the rise of silicon-carbon batteries is one of the main changes disrupting the industry. These new batteries promise higher energy density and could reduce the need for external power banks altogether.

Yang compared power banks to dead and buried product categories like MP3 players, cassette tapes, and CDs. In short, he sees them as a temporary product category—a bridge technology that served a purpose until something better came along.

Why Anker's CEO might be right

Several factors support Yang's prediction. Smartphone batteries are getting larger and more efficient. Fast charging is becoming standard, reducing the time users need to top up. And new battery technologies, like silicon-carbon, could further extend battery life and reduce reliance on external packs.

Moreover, Anker itself has diversified. The company has shifted from a portable battery company to a giant in categories like sound and smart home. This gives Anker the flexibility to pivot away from power banks if the market shrinks.

Key takeaways for consumers

• Power banks may become less common as phone batteries improve and fast charging spreads.
• Silicon-carbon batteries are a key innovation that could reduce the need for portable chargers.
• Anker is diversifying into audio and smart home, signaling a shift away from power banks.
• The golden age of power banks (2012–2022) is likely over, with slower growth projected.
• Consumers should watch battery technology trends to understand future charging needs.

How power banks compare to emerging technologies

To understand why power banks might fade, it helps to compare them with the technologies that could replace them. The table below outlines some key differences.

As silicon-carbon batteries become more common, the gap between phone battery life and user demand could narrow, making power banks less essential for everyday use.

What this means for the industry

Yang's comments are a signal to the industry. If a major player like Anker is openly questioning the future of power banks, other companies may follow suit. We could see consolidation or exits from the market. The background to this story is set out in Anker Prime Day Deals: Save Big on Power Banks and Chargers. A related thread runs through Best Value Power Banks: Top 7 Picks for Every Charging Need. Earlier coverage in Anker Unifies Brands Under One Name to Dominate Spain shows how the argument developed.

At the same time, power banks won't disappear overnight. They remain useful for camping, travel, and emergencies. But the days of explosive growth are likely behind us. A closer look at the same subject appears in Anker Prime Power Bank Review: 20,000mAh 200W Portable Charger. Anyone following the wider picture can start with Anker 511 Nano 3: Best Budget USB Charger for Fast Power. The same theme surfaces in Anker Unifies Five Brands Under One Name in Major Rebrand, which takes a different angle.

For consumers, the message is clear: the way we charge our devices is changing. Keeping an eye on battery innovations will help you make smarter purchasing decisions. Context on how this played out before sits in Philips 10,000mAh Power Bank at Action for Just €7.95. A companion piece, Philips 20,000mAh Power Bank Drops to 14.95 Euros at Action, approaches the same subject from another angle.