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.
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