When Intel first announced its Ultrabook super-light notebook range, and the initial manufacturers unveiled their opening gambits - one factor was quickly picked up upon.

Namely, price. They weren't cheap, and that was never going to help Intel in the battle to spark the PC market, and push back against the tide of tablet cannibalisation. So, Intel has been on a mission to reduce Ultrabook prices, making big investments, and promising more affordable models this year.

And one angle of attack that Intel is taking, in terms of cost cutting, is the Ultrabook's battery. Intel wants Ultrabook manufacturers to adopt a standard battery cell design. Instead of having to build custom power sources, they could simply order off-the-shelf models and at a much cheaper cost.

The battery producing firms would be locked in competition to produce these units, as cost effectively as possible, leading to further savings - and potential improvements in efficiency. All of which should be good news for the consumer.

Intel is looking at 60mm x 80mm as the standard size for an Ultrabook battery, with a thickness of 16mm. Thinner still would be desirable, as always when it comes to the ultraportable world, the point is it's a balance against portability and cost.

The ball, however, is now in the manufacturer's court. It is up to them whether they're going to take notice and adopt Intel's suggested battery blueprint, or indeed not. We'd certainly hope the former would be the case, though, as more attractive pricing is a winner for all concerned.

Source: Liliputing