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Apple’s Magnetic Battery Accessory Close to Release
Apple’s hardware engineering department is careful about launching accessories related to charging. In 2017, the company announced an AirPower mat that would charge an Apple Watch, iPhone and AirPods earphones at the same time. It was ultimately never released and canceled deep into its development in 2019 due to issues related to overheating. Accessories and wearables have become an increasing source of revenue for Apple, with cases, AirPods, Apple Watches, home speakers and related products generating almost $13 billion, or 12% of total company sales, last quarter. A beta version of Apple’s upcoming iOS 14.5 software update included a vague, later-removed reference to a battery pack, according to a finding by developer Steve Moser. The wireless charging device could be a popular accessory for Apple’s new MagSafe ecosystem. Last year, Apple released cases with MagSafe compatibility, leather wallets and a pair of chargers. The Apple accessory, if ultimately launched, would rival similar offerings released by small makers in recent months. The company has also discussed other MagSafe accessories internally, including the potential for an in-car attachment, one of the people said, though that product hasn’t made its way into formal development.
Apple has also internally discussed a goal of letting many of its mobile devices like Apple Watches, AirPods, and iPhones charge each other, but that functionality is unlikely in the near future. For the 2019 iPhones, Apple planned, but canceled, a feature that would let users charge AirPods on the back of the phone.
Apple’s MagSafe technology is expected to make its way to several more products over the next year. The company plans to add it to redesigned MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs coming this year, Bloomberg News has reported. On the Mac, the feature means any accidental yanking of the power cable would simply detach it from the laptop rather than pull down the entire computer.
The company also wants to increase the battery capacity on the iPhone 13 series, which could include a significant change to the internal design of its iPhones that will allow it to bump the battery size even further.
Apple is reportedly working on several foldable phone formats using components from SDC and other foldable panel makers in its tests. Apple may need two to three more years to bring the foldable iPhone to market. Apple is studyingsmaller components such as IPD, short for integrated passive devices. Which could increase the iPhone’s battery capacity. Apple is expected to significantly increase the adoption of IPD (integrated passive devices) for new iPhones and other iOS products, providing robust business opportunities for manufacturing partners TSMC and Amkor, according to industry sources. Peripheral chips for iPhones, iPad and MacBook series are going slimmer with higher performance to allow more space for larger-capacity battery solutions for the devices, with the demand for IPDs to grow sharply in line with the trend, the sources said.
The iPhone 13 versions will have almost the same overall sizes and footprints as their predecessors. Yet all four phones will feature bigger batteries, to benefit the iPhone 13 Pro models with power-consuming 120Hz displays. Battery life will be all the more important on foldable iPhone featuring top hardware, which will feature a high-end display at a minimum of 120Hz. Some of the internal space will be dedicated to the hinge that folds and unfolds the screen. So Apple will want to make the most of the remaining space to increase the battery, especially if it opts for the clamshell foldable iPhone design. There’s no indication that Apple is developing IPD specifically for the foldable iPhone. But the innovation will benefit other iOS products, and the foldable iPhone certainly falls into that category.
Apple’s hardware engineering department is careful about launching accessories related to charging. In 2017, the company announced an AirPower mat that would charge an Apple Watch, iPhone and AirPods earphones at the same time. It was ultimately never released and canceled deep into its development in 2019 due to issues related to overheating. Accessories and wearables have become an increasing source of revenue for Apple, with cases, AirPods, Apple Watches, home speakers and related products generating almost $13 billion, or 12% of total company sales, last quarter. A beta version of Apple’s upcoming iOS 14.5 software update included a vague, later-removed reference to a battery pack, according to a finding by developer Steve Moser. The wireless charging device could be a popular accessory for Apple’s new MagSafe ecosystem. Last year, Apple released cases with MagSafe compatibility, leather wallets and a pair of chargers. The Apple accessory, if ultimately launched, would rival similar offerings released by small makers in recent months. The company has also discussed other MagSafe accessories internally, including the potential for an in-car attachment, one of the people said, though that product hasn’t made its way into formal development.
Apple has also internally discussed a goal of letting many of its mobile devices like Apple Watches, AirPods, and iPhones charge each other, but that functionality is unlikely in the near future. For the 2019 iPhones, Apple planned, but canceled, a feature that would let users charge AirPods on the back of the phone.
Apple’s MagSafe technology is expected to make its way to several more products over the next year. The company plans to add it to redesigned MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs coming this year, Bloomberg News has reported. On the Mac, the feature means any accidental yanking of the power cable would simply detach it from the laptop rather than pull down the entire computer.
The company also wants to increase the battery capacity on the iPhone 13 series, which could include a significant change to the internal design of its iPhones that will allow it to bump the battery size even further.
Apple is reportedly working on several foldable phone formats using components from SDC and other foldable panel makers in its tests. Apple may need two to three more years to bring the foldable iPhone to market. Apple is studyingsmaller components such as IPD, short for integrated passive devices. Which could increase the iPhone’s battery capacity. Apple is expected to significantly increase the adoption of IPD (integrated passive devices) for new iPhones and other iOS products, providing robust business opportunities for manufacturing partners TSMC and Amkor, according to industry sources. Peripheral chips for iPhones, iPad and MacBook series are going slimmer with higher performance to allow more space for larger-capacity battery solutions for the devices, with the demand for IPDs to grow sharply in line with the trend, the sources said.
The iPhone 13 versions will have almost the same overall sizes and footprints as their predecessors. Yet all four phones will feature bigger batteries, to benefit the iPhone 13 Pro models with power-consuming 120Hz displays. Battery life will be all the more important on foldable iPhone featuring top hardware, which will feature a high-end display at a minimum of 120Hz. Some of the internal space will be dedicated to the hinge that folds and unfolds the screen. So Apple will want to make the most of the remaining space to increase the battery, especially if it opts for the clamshell foldable iPhone design. There’s no indication that Apple is developing IPD specifically for the foldable iPhone. But the innovation will benefit other iOS products, and the foldable iPhone certainly falls into that category.
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