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Apple reportedly chose LG to be the only supplier of L-shaped batteries for next year's iPhone (AAPL)
Benjamin Geskin
A new rumour from the Korea Economic Daily (which we saw via AppleInsider) suggests that Apple has chosen LG subsidiary LG Chem to be the exclusive battery supplier of next year's tentatively named "iPhone 9."
The Korean firm allegedly invested "hundreds of billions" of wons in the operation, which will include the construction of dedicated facilities to keep up with Apple's demand — not dissimilar from Samsung's plans for the next iPhone's display.
The report mentions that LG will focus on building so-called "L-shaped" batteries, which have an extended portion at the bottom to maximise internal space and allow for a larger unit in the shell of the device, which will reportedly be smaller than the iPhone 7 Plus.
AppleInsider also reported on a note published by KGI Securities Ming-Chi Kuo in April in which the analyst said Apple is working to shrink the size of the iPhone's motherboard — which has been positioned vertically next to the battery in each iPhone so far — to allow for the extended battery to fit in.
Ming-Chi Kuo/KGI Securities
Kuo's note also mentioned Apple's intention to include the new technology in this year's OLED-equipped iPhone 8, but with LG seemingly getting ready for 2018's edition, it is not clear whether Apple will actually be able to implement L-shaped battery units in the "iPhone 8."
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