US smartphone manufacturer Apple has engaged the services of a former Samsung executive by name, Soonho Ann to serve as its new Global Head of Battery Developments. The fresh position further fuel speculations of targets to develop and eventually produce first-party battery sections.
The former Samsung chief commenced work at Apple in December last year as claimed by to his LinkedIn profile. He is Additionally reputed to have had a four-year stint Samsung’s battery arm, Samsung SDI. During his time at Samsung, Mr Ahn held 3 senior vice president roles. Along the line, he worked on next-generation battery cell materials and tech bound for a range of consumer devices like phones, power tools and electric vehicles. Before his stint at Samsung, Ahn worked at LG Chem for 17 years as a vice president in charge of battery development, whenever what he served a brief stint as a professor of energy and chemical engineering at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology.
Samsung happens to be one of Apple’s major components supplier despite their rivalry. The Korean manufacturer is listed as a top-200 supplier on Apple’s Supplier List as of February 2018. However, Apple has been trying to diversify more than the past handful of years and that has brought multiple Chinese battery makers into the fold. This fresh hire suggests Apple is searching to reduce its dependence on third-party suppliers and could start developing its own batteries early. Already, there are rumours that the Cupertino-based company is working on an in-house battery solution, Last year, Apple was reported to be in talks to secure cobalt, a primary ingredient in lithium-ion batteries, directly from miners. One key area wherever Apple has found success in developing its areas is the A-series processors that fuel the iPhone, iPad and HomePod.
