Latest news with #TDK
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New iPhone 17 Air leak hints at how the super-slim phone might solve its potential battery life issues
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Silicon-batteries are arriving from TDK this year Apple is one of TDK's biggest customers The improved batteries could power the iPhone 17 Air We're expecting the iPhone 17 Air to replace the iPhone 16 Plus this year, and it's expected to be super-slim – which has raised some questions about battery life. Now a new leak suggests those questions could be answered using next-gen silicon battery technology. According to a report from Bloomberg, battery maker TDK is ahead of schedule with a significant upgrade, where silicon is used for the battery anode rather than the conventional graphite. This means 15% more energy can be packed into the same space. Shipping for these batteries will begin by the end of June, which may just give Apple enough time to incorporate the batteries into its iPhone 17 series – including the iPhone 17 Air, which will have less space for a battery than the other models in the range. Now we're being pretty speculative about joining up these particular dots, but we know that TDK supplies both Apple and Samsung. Samsung has of course just unveiled its own ultra-slim handset in the form of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge. If the most recent leak is accurate, then the iPhone 17 Air is going to come with a battery capacity of 2,800 mAh. That's some way short of the 3,651 mAh battery you'll find in the current iPhone 16 model, for example. And previous rumors about the iPhone 17 Air battery life have contradicted each other. One recent report suggested that all-day battery life isn't guaranteed for the new phone, and that Apple might offer a battery case accessory for it. However, back in March, a well-placed source said that battery life would be comparable to current iPhone 16 models. Bear in mind that the device will still be in testing at this point, which may explain the conflicting accounts. We have previously heard that the iPhone 17 Air might use next-gen battery tech of some description, and that the upcoming iOS 19 is also going to deliver an AI-powered battery optimization tool that should boost battery life further. You might have to pay more for the iPhone 17 series The best iPhones you can buy An affordable price is tipped for the iPhone 17 Air
Forbes
23-05-2025
- Forbes
Apple Loop: iPhone 17 Ultra Mystery, iPhone 17 Air Specs, Apple's Foldable iPad Dream
Taking a look back at this week's news and headlines from Apple, including iPhone 17 Air specs, mysterious iPhone 17 Ultra, WWDC Plans, Apple's Foldable Choice, Overcast improves Apple Watch support, Audiobooks show the way, and what is Jony Ive up to? Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the many discussions around Apple in the last seven days. You can also read my weekly digest of Android news here on Forbes. Jonathan Ive, the British-born designer who headed up Apple's industrial design team (Photo Paul ...) It may be fashionably thin, but the upcoming iPhone 17 Air will have an Achilles heel… there's not a lot of room for a battery, with some suggesting a capacity could be as low as 2,800 mAh. One question that may help address the thorny issue of battery capacity in a small form factor is new technology. Will Apple introduce a new battery style from TDK? After all, TDK is ramping up production mid-June, which would fit nicely into a pre-release production schedule for the iPhone 17 Air. "TDK's silicon-anode batteries store about 15% more energy in the same physical space compared to conventional graphite-based batteries. The extra density is possible because silicon can hold more lithium ions per gram than graphite, making it ideal for devices where every millimeter counts." (Apple Insider). The iPhone 17 Air is on the way, as is the iPhone 17. You'd assume an iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, but what if Apple decides to push the boat out at the high end and replace the Pro Max branding. Marcus Mendes argues why an iPhone Ultra is needed: "We seem to be a few months away from the release of a new member of the iPhone family, extra-officially named iPhone 17 Air. Apple tends to be quite conservative when it comes to iPhone suffixes, so it would make sense to take this opportunity to reframe the entire line-up, bringing it closer to the MacBook and iPad naming conventions." (9to5Mac). Apple has sent the invites and released the schedule for next month's Worldwide Developers Conference. This includes details on the public keynote, which will be streamed on YouTube and Apple TV. Other sessions require a developer registration. Forbes' contributor David Phelan looks over the program and leans into one of the more traditional parts of any invite… the clues to the big news: "The image is a circle (that's Apple Park!) in a design that looked like it was made of translucent glass. That ties in with reports that the software Apple will announce is predicted to have more of the translucent feel of Apple Vision Pro menus. The lettering is colorful, like a rainbow. "Similarly, Apple's Newsroom post features the rainbow lettering, topped by a glassy semicircle with hints of the colors onboard. Again, Apple may be previewing what's rumored to be a big design change coming." (Forbes). Apple is not expected to enter the foldables market until 2027 at the earliest, yet the question of how remains one of the more popular ones. Will it go for a large iPad tablet that can be folded to a comfortable carrying size, or will it be more revolutionary in the laptop market with a MacBook Fold? Darren Allan looks at the top options: "Personally I think the MacBook idea is the frontrunner (and rumors about Apple working on a notebook with a virtual keyboard have been around for ages). Although more innovative and attention-grabbing, that is the riskier move, admittedly, in terms of getting Mac fans to accept the ditching of a physical keyboard in favor of a screen-based effort. It'd have to be a very good virtual keyboard, that's for sure. A big iPad would be a safer avenue to tread when you look at these ideas in that light." (TechRadar). One of the best podcast clients on iOS remains a solo developer project. Marco Orment's Overcast has been delivering podcasts for more than ten years and is under constant development. The latest addition is a ground-up reworking of the Apple Watch client: "Overcast's Apple Watch app has been completely rewritten from the ground up and should be 'more responsive, efficient, and reliable.' In a post on Mastodon, Marco says the Apple Watch app 'has the modern single-target infrastructure, rather than the legacy watchOS dual-extension combo.' All of this should lead to vastly improved performance and reliability." (9to5Mac). Apple's updated App Store policies have allowed developers to sell digital items outside of Apple's electronic garden. Spotify is one of the first to take advantage. Its latest update allows audiobooks to be listed and searched for in-app, but purchased elsewhere: "It's finally possible to purchase an audiobook from Spotify's iPhone app with just a few taps. On Monday, Spotify announced that Apple approved an update that allows users in the US to see audiobook pricing within the app and buy individual audiobooks outside the App Store." (The Verge). Sir Jony Ive is a key part of the Apple story, and even when he is no longer with the company, he can impact the tales from Cupertino. With Ive moving quickly through the AI space with the purchase of Ive's AI startup by OpenAI. There's a device coming in the future, but not much is known. Yet it is already disrupting: "It's clearly not a pair of smart glasses, as Ive is reported to have been skeptical about creating something for the user to wear. It will be part of a 'family of devices,' suggesting that, like Apple products, the products will be integrated… It already sounded like the device would not have a display, and [Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo's] report echoed this: 'It will have cameras and microphones for environmental detection, with no display functionality.' (Forbes). Apple Loop brings you seven days worth of highlights every weekend here on Forbes. Don't forget to follow me so you don't miss any coverage in the future. Last week's Apple Loop can be read here, or this week's edition of Loop's sister column, Android Circuit, is also available on Forbes.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Yahoo
iPhone 17 Air just tipped for killer upgrade that could blow away Galaxy S25 Edge
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Samsung and Apple are locked in a race to bring us the slimmest smartphone possible. But one serious compromise of a thinner profile is a similarly smaller battery, as we've seen with the Galaxy S25 Edge. Apple may have a fix for that, with the upcoming ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air reportedly sporting new silicon batteries that pack 15% more energy into the same space compared to existing smartphone batteries. According to a Bloomberg report, Apple and Samsung battery supplier TDK has accelerated its production timeline for its new generation of silicon-anode batteries. Shipments are now set to begin by the end of June, a few months ahead of its earlier window of September. "We've made good progress, and we're shipping them very soon," TDK Chief Executive Officer Noboru Saito said. "Some handset makers might be able to use the new battery in their product one generation early." He added that this will 'give smartphone makers enough time to use these cells in thinner models launching this year.' Meaning that the iPhone 17 Air, which is expected to be announced in September, could be the first Apple smartphone to feature TDK's third iteration of silicon-anode battery technology. Apple was previously rumored to adopt silicon-anode batteries for the second-generation iPhone Air, but with this new timeline, it looks like the first-generation model could get those improvements in battery life instead. Chinese smartphone manufacturers have already begun upgrading their flagships to silicon batteries, which tend to last significantly longer than their American competitors. TDK's silicon-anode batteries store about 15% more energy in the same physical space as conventional graphite-based battery packs. The extra density is possible because silicon can hold more lithium ions per gram than graphite, letting brands squeeze longer-lasting batteries into less real estate. This advancement could prove essential to maintaining a decent battery life in ultra-thin phones. That's been one of the biggest drawbacks of the Galaxy S25 Edge, Samsung's thinnest phone to date. Measuring just 5.8mm thick, it lasted 12 hours and 38 minutes on a full charge in our Galaxy S25 Edge battery tests, far below the time recorded by the Galaxy S25 Ultra. With the iPhone 17 Air rumored to be even thinner at 5.5mm, Apple has its work cut out for it. Though Apple could have another trick up its sleeve for longer battery life with the iPhone 17 Air: artificial intelligence. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that the company has an AI-powered management mode in the works for iOS 19, which will "analyze how a person uses their device and make adjustments to conserve energy." To achieve this, Apple's "using battery data it has collected from users' devices to understand trends and make predictions for when it should lower the power draw of certain applications or features." Between AI-powered battery optimization and the latest-and-greatest silicon battery, the iPhone 17 Air seems primed to leave the Galaxy S25 Edge in the dust when it comes to holding a charge. iPhone 17 price hikes — new report claims Apple could charge more this fall Galaxy S25 Edge battery life tested — it's even worse than we thought The iPhone 17 Air has nothing to worry about now that we've seen the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge — here's why
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
iPhone supplier TDK readies batteries geared for thin AI gadgets
TDK's battery technology is helping the world's biggest smartphone makers slim down their gadgets without shortening battery run times. TDK Corp. is readying a new generation of batteries to power smartphones through AI tasks at a time that major client Apple Inc. is also preparing to launch a slimmer handset. The Tokyo-based component maker will begin shipping its third iteration of silicon-anode batteries by the end of June, chief executive officer Noboru Saito said. That's ahead of TDK's original schedule for shipments in the September quarter and may give smartphone makers enough time to use these cells in thinner models launching this year, he said. 'We've made good progress, and we're shipping them very soon,' he said in an interview. 'Some handset makers might be able to use the new battery in their product one generation early.' TDK's battery technology is helping the world's biggest smartphone makers slim down their gadgets without shortening battery run times. Its latest lithium-ion batteries use silicon for anodes instead of the graphite commonly used and can pack 15% more energy into the same space compared with conventional rechargeable battery packs. Samsung Electronics this week rolled out the 5.9-millimeter-thin Galaxy S25 Edge, which is 30% slimmer than the company's high-end S25 Ultra, while also promising a camera with new editing features and other AI capabilities. Apple is also set to debut a slimmer handset — the iPhone 17 Air — ushering in a new industrial design that may lead to thinner models from the Cupertino-based company in the future. Apple and Samsung are TDK's biggest customers, each contributing about 10% of the Japanese company's overall revenue, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Saito declined to disclose the new battery's pricing or its customers, but said TDK's offering the component to all customers who recognise the technology's value. Silicon-anode battery technology can be applied to a range of cell sizes for use in a variety of products, from gadgets to electric vehicles. TDK's battery subsidiary Amperex Technology is the leading manufacturer of smaller silicon batteries used in smartphones and holds a 'very large share,' according to Saito. 'We plan to introduce fourth-generation silicon batteries some time in the next fiscal year to widen our lead even further,' he said. 'Mass-producing silicon batteries requires special knowhow. It's not like you can do it by just putting the materials together.' TDK expects global smartphone production to grow 1% to 12 billion units this year, although it's warned that US trade policies may ultimately erase that growth. Last month, the company presented its annual outlook as a range rather than a single number for the first time, citing uncertainty around US tariffs. Companies need to be ready to react to developments outside their control and be dynamic and flexible in response to customer requests, Saito said. For TDK, that means diversifying production locations. Amperex has mainly assembled batteries in China, but it's setting up a new factory in India that'll go online by September. Initial production capacity at the Indian facility is not large, but it's not difficult to produce silicon batteries on graphite battery production lines, Saito said while declining to disclose which batteries TDK plans to make there. More manufacturers are building manufacturing capabilities outside China, with Apple expanding capacity in India and Nintendo Co. doing so in Vietnam and Cambodia. Saito said that how TDK allocates production between China and India will hinge on customer requests. Life offers OpenAI's GPT-4.1 access free to mobile subscribers Qualcomm unveils new smartphone chip in shift to its own designs Tech news in less than 5 minutes – October 2024 Read more stories about where the money flows, and analysis of the biggest market stories from Singapore and around the World Get in-depth insights from our expert contributors, and dive into financial and economic trends Follow the market issue situation with our daily updates Or want more Lifestyle and Passion stories? Click here
Tom's Guide
17-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
iPhone 17 Air just tipped for killer upgrade that could blow away Galaxy S25 Edge
Samsung and Apple are locked in a race to bring us the slimmest smartphone possible. But one serious compromise of a thinner profile is a similarly smaller battery, as we've seen with the Galaxy S25 Edge. Apple may have a fix for that, with the upcoming ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air reportedly sporting new silicon batteries that pack 15% more energy into the same space compared to existing smartphone batteries. According to a Bloomberg report, Apple and Samsung battery supplier TDK has accelerated its production timeline for its new generation of silicon-anode batteries. Shipments are now set to begin by the end of June, a few months ahead of its earlier window of September. "We've made good progress, and we're shipping them very soon," TDK Chief Executive Officer Noboru Saito said. "Some handset makers might be able to use the new battery in their product one generation early." He added that this will 'give smartphone makers enough time to use these cells in thinner models launching this year.' Meaning that the iPhone 17 Air, which is expected to be announced in September, could be the first Apple smartphone to feature TDK's third iteration of silicon-anode battery technology. Apple was previously rumored to adopt silicon-anode batteries for the second-generation iPhone Air, but with this new timeline, it looks like the first-generation model could get those improvements in battery life instead. Chinese smartphone manufacturers have already begun upgrading their flagships to silicon batteries, which tend to last significantly longer than their American competitors. TDK's silicon-anode batteries store about 15% more energy in the same physical space as conventional graphite-based battery packs. The extra density is possible because silicon can hold more lithium ions per gram than graphite, letting brands squeeze longer-lasting batteries into less real estate. This advancement could prove essential to maintaining a decent battery life in ultra-thin phones. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. That's been one of the biggest drawbacks of the Galaxy S25 Edge, Samsung's thinnest phone to date. Measuring just 5.8mm thick, it lasted just 12 hours and 38 minutes on a full charge in our Galaxy S25 Edge battery tests, far below the time recorded by the Galaxy S25 Ultra. With the iPhone 17 Air rumored to be even thinner at 5.5mm, Apple has its work cut out for it. Apple could have another trick up its sleeve for longer battery life with the iPhone 17 Air: artificial intelligence. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that the company has an AI-powered management mode in the works for iOS 19, which will "analyze how a person uses their device and make adjustments to conserve energy." To achieve this, Apple's "using battery data it has collected from users' devices to understand trends and make predictions for when it should lower the power draw of certain applications or features." Between AI-powered battery optimization and the latest-and-greatest silicon battery, the iPhone 17 Air seems primed to leave the Galaxy S25 Edge in the dust when it comes to holding a charge.
