Apple supplier acquires U.S. smartphone power firm

Battery tech improvement is the inevitable next grail for smartphone makers

Lost in the pre-holiday Friday news cycle slipped out a little news (other than this report, or this one) which may prove more significant than it may appear on first look: An Apple supplier investing in power-saving tech which may benefit both 5G and 6G smartphones.

Murata Manufacturing enters the U.S.

Murata Manufacturing announced plans to acquire Eta Wireless for around $145 million. The smaller firm makes power saving tech for smartphones. Murata said it intends making components around Eta’s tech, as well as developing 6G technologies.
Eta “reduces power consumption by wireless communication components,” according to Nikkei. This improves battery life in devices and makes use of proprietary power management chips and algorithms.

The impact on 5G is that these components may boost battery life, particularly for mmWave implementations. (The company also makes UWB radios).

It’s no big surprise Murata, like many in the Apple supply chain, now seeks to build business in the US. COVID-19 has generated big problems and means many major manufacturers are now looking to diversify production, even as transport and logistical supply lines become increasingly over-stretched.

Murata may have other designs.

Murata Manufacturing announced plans to acquire Eta Wireless for around $145 million

A solid state

It is, after all, the company that acquired Sony’s battery division in 2017 and now claims to be ready to begin manufacturing solid state batteries in fall 2021.

Now, solid state batteries may well be revolutionary. Not only do they charge faster and perhaps deliver higher energy densities than Lithium ion batteries, but their lack of liquid component makes them more stable and less likely to gassing out. They also have the benefit of not exploding in fire.

“The new product brings together multiple Murata technologies to deliver substantially larger capacity than previously developed solid-state batteries. By putting in place a production system capable of providing a stable supply of highly reliable products, Murata is contributing to the realization of a world in which everyone can safely utilize electronic devices under all sorts of environments,” said Norio Nakajima, Representative Director, Senior Executive Vice President and Director of the Module Business Unit.

You don’t need to be too interested in quite yet.

The first batteries from Murata will be low capacity, rating between 2-25mAh. That’s not even enough for an Apple Watch, but may perhaps power an AirTag. The company’s road map is focused on use of the tech in IoT and wearables, and not smartphones and cars.

Worth monitoring?

Thing is, this battery tech will only get better, and already carries a much higher energy density. Is it possible this is an Apple partner to watch? Or will the big take away see lots of investment in US manufacturing as Apple’s existing suppliers diversify? One thing we have to watch over the next 12-24-months, however, is investment in US-based battery tech.

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