Apple’s power adapters aren’t the smallest out there, and for people looking to save some space for the chargers they do have plugged in, the smaller options from third-party companies may be the best bet. But it sounds like Apple may be looking to change things up in the future.
According to DigiTimes, a company called Navitas Semiconductor is set to receive new orders for gallium nitride (GaN) technology-based charging solutions. As part of the existing partnership with TSMC, that company will be providing Navitas Semiconductor with GaN chips, with the smaller power adapters set to be launched by Apple at some point in the near future. The orders are expected to arrive in 2021, so it’s possible we see these new charging accessories launch before the end of the year.
Per the report:
Ireland-based Navitas Semiconductor, US-based Power Integrations and China-based Innoscience are the global top-three suppliers of fast charging solutions based on GaN-on-Si chips. Navitas are expected to obtain orders from Apple and other vendors in 2021, with TSMC to supply GaN-on-Si chips, industry sources noted.
Now, if Apple is indeed moving forward with GaN-technology power adapters, this is a step in the right direction. These charging solutions are routinely smaller than other options, are less heat conductive, more power efficient in general, and lighter, too. If Apple is going down this route, it means the company will likely replace its current lineup of USB-C power bricks with the GaN-based options.
Unfortunately, we won’t get these new power adapters in the box with new iPhones, as Apple stopped including power adapters with the smartphone lineup late last year. Still, if Apple does start offering first-party GaN power adapters in the future, that will be a welcomed change to what it offers now.
Are you using a GaN-based power adapter right now from a third-party company? If so, how do you like it?