According to Apple, they are planning smaller and lighter versions of its USB-C wall charger. The report comes from Digitimes, which says Navitas Semiconductor is expected to receive orders for gallium nitride or GaN chargers from Apple in 2021.
Apple charger rumors
The report also adds that Apple supplier TSMC will be included in the process and will deliver the GaN chips to Navitas itself:
Navitas Semiconductor, based in Ireland, Power Integrations in the US and China-based Innoscience are the world’s top three providers of fast charging solutions based on GaN-on-Si chips. Navitas is expected to acquire orders from Apple and other vendors in 2021, with TSMC delivering GaN-on-Si chips, industry sources said.
Details here are somewhat sparse, but the need for Apple to adopt GaN technology is increasing as third-party accessory manufacturers enter the market. A variety of companies make GaN chargers that are smaller and faster than the USB-C chargers included with Apple with their MacBook series and are sold separately for the iPhones.
In fact, Navitas created the GaNFast solution, which is the gallium nitride technology used by brands such as Xiaomi and Aukey. Apple can use the Navitas technology to make their first-party rechargeable in size and power similar to what we see from other companies, ranging up to 300W.
This is not the first time we’re heard of Apple’s plans to release new chargers sometime in 2021. Apple’s trusted analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, reported last month that Apple is likely to “release 2 or 3 new chargers in 2021,” and we speculated at the moment that it could be more powerful wall chargers with faster charging using GaN -technology.
Apple’s charger range has become quite complicated over the last few years, with a variety of quirks as we reported earlier today. The adoption of GaN technology can help Apple streamline its charging range and make it more versatile with dual-port design, faster performance and more.
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