According to a Bloomberg report, Apple hired a former Samsung battery executive as its new Global head of Battery Developments. Soonho Ahn, who was once served as SVP of Samsung SDI, a Samsung affiliate company that develops the lithium battery used in smartphones, joined Apple in December.
Considering that Apple has used Samsung batteries in the past and already makes its own A-series chip for iOS devices, plus rumors that the company is developing its own LTE chips and MicroLED display, Bloomberg believes that they take the step is to reduce its reliance on other suppliers as possible.
Apple has used batteries from Samsung SDI to power its own products in the past. The iPhone maker has been trying to reduce reliance on third-party components, and the notable battery technology hire suggests it may be doing the same for batteries. Apple has been working on its own MicroLED display technology for future devices, which would help wean itself off Samsung in other areas.Perhaps Apple is planning to redesign its battery component to be not as too quick degraded over time. Among the most requested iPhone features, the longer lasting, a higher capacity battery is definitely on the list, so hopefully, this hire would provide some thoughts on how to further improve the battery.