Apple Has Big Plans for the iPhone 9's Battery
Apple has signed a new deal with another vendor to supply batteries for next year's iPhone 9. And there's apparently a very good reason for that.
Credit: Benjamin Geskin
The iPhone maker has inked a deal with LG's LG Chemical to supply all the batteries for next year's iPhone 9, The Korea Economic Daily is reporting, citing sources. While neither Apple nor LG Chemical has confirmed the news, the report, which was earlier discovered by 9to5Mac, says Apple was "impressed" by what it had seen from LG Chemical's technology.
At the core of that appeal is an L-shaped battery, the report says. Apple has been on the hunt for new battery technology that would allow it to deliver bigger packs in its handsets without sacrificing device size. One of the best ways to do that, the report said, is to offer an L-shaped battery.
The L shape means Apple can wind the battery around the device's other components and extend its size on either flange. The larger the L shape, the more battery capacity, and thus, the longer the battery life.
MORE: iPhone 8? Why You Might Want to Wait for iPhone 9
Like every other company in the smartphone market, Apple has been in search of longer and longer battery lives. But smartphone batteries have traditionally been diagonal in shape, extending lengthwise inside a smartphone. To add more capacity, companies need to bundle bigger batteries. But bundling bigger batteries of a rectangular shape can often force companies to change a smartphone's design or make it bigger.
By using an L-shaped battery, Apple can apparently sidestep those problems.
In addition to the new battery, Apple is reportedly considering OLED screen technology for all its iPhone 9 models. The company might also deliver two new screen sizes, measuring 5.3 inches and 6.5 inches.
Still, the iPhone 9 is more than a year off and for now, the company is believed to spending most of its time focused on this year's iPhone 8. Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 8, as well as an iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus, at a press event in September.
See also : Top 9 iPhone 8 Rumors
