Still a while away from the iPhone 8 release date, Apple is supposedly already making plans for the iPhone 9. According to an unnamed source Apple has chosen LG Chem as the exclusive battery supplier for the device set to be released in 2018, Korea Economic Daily reports.
The source claims LG has apparently invested “hundreds of billions” of South Korean won specifically for manufacturing facilities and will begin full-scale production early next year. Also added by the source is that the iPhone 9 will be expected to debut in the second half of 2018 and the South Korean company will supply all batteries, AppleInsider notes.
Reportedly, Apple is going to opt for an L-shaped battery module within the iPhone 9 — different than the standard batteries used in current iPhone models. Apple normally uses standard lithium-ion batteries, but this new module is designed to support longer battery life.
The L-shaped battery rumors first started circulating back in February with the iPhone 8. According to MacRumors, KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed the iPhone 8 would include a 2,700mAh L-shaped two-cell battery pack as well. Kuo also explained that with a more expensive logic board design, the OLED iPhone would have dimensions similar to a 4.7-inch iPhone but with comparable battery life to a 5.5-inch iPhone — or possibly even better.
Currently, iPhone models include a battery and motherboard placed vertically next to each other. Kuo said Apple is reportedly working to make the motherboard smaller which would leave room for the extended L-shaped battery. With this design, the iPhone will also be able to charge at much faster speed than any model now.
With a potentially redesigned battery also comes new charging methods for the iPhone. For the iPhone 8, Kuo predicts it will not only have a Lightning port but an embedded USB-C power delivery IC — resulting in higher charging efficiency. The OLED display also adds to saving battery life since it consumes less power by not using a backlight.
It still remains to be seen if Apple will include the L-shaped design in the iPhone 8 along with other features like touch ID, facial recognition, and wireless charging. However, it seems that whatever doesn’t make it into this year’s upcoming iPhone has a good chance of being included in the next one.
