9to5 Mac reports today that according to Bankhaus Lampe analyst Karsten Iltgen, Apple is planning to replace a PMIC component for iPhone and iPad that it currently gets from Dialog with its own in-house custom silicon chip by 2019.
Iltgen says that Apple has been hiring engineers from Dialog to work on Apple-branded power management chips, which are used to manage voltage and charging of device components. It could be that this is Apple finally attempting to tackle battery longevity issues by taking them in-house.
In the original report, Reuters said that a source had confirmed that Apple was recruiting Dialog engineers in Munich, saying, “They are poaching like crazy.”
At this news, Dialog’s share price dropped by around 20% in early stock market trading. However, Dialog might be reassured by a report from Barclays Research that says that Apple is not likely to completely sever its relationship with the company, citing the fact that Dialog has over 1,300 employees and Apple only has around 80 engineers, as well as noting that Dialog also has necessary intellectual property that Apple cannot get around.
Source: Analyst believes Apple developing its own custom battery power management chips for iPhone
