Or 33% thinner and double the life. I'd take that trade, for sure.

But why not 0% thinner and 3x-3.5x times the life? Are we really plagued by thick phones right now?

The real reason is that if you make several million phones that a certain percentage is always going to explode, either by manufacturing defect or a user pierces the cell through accident. This might mean the difference between some light leg burns or your death and phone makers are not going to take the negative press of the latter scenario. Their only answer is better power usage.

One of the big advantages listed in the article is that these batteries don't explode like today's Li-Ions.

Maybe in a few years we'll look back at this time and wonder how people were ok with putting a bomb against their face every day.

and also how we drove vehicles powered by explosions? :)