Apple finds new suppliers to solve battery issues with the iPhone 6

The iPhone 6 isn't expected to feature radical improvements in battery life, but that doesn't mean Apple hasn't had trouble making new batteries for the device. Since the next iPhone will be thinner than the current design, its battery needs to be thinner as well.

Apple has been having trouble with battery makers overseas meeting its specifications, but now it's being reported that new suppliers have been brought on to solve the issues. The news highlights how diversifying its partners in the Asian supply chain continues to be Apple's strategy moving forward.

The main supplier of batteries for the iPhone 5 has been ditched for potentially three different suppliers, according to the Taiwanese media.

Apple's old battery partner, Dynapack, reportedly couldn't deliver the kind of product needed for this fall's iPhones. Now two suppliers, Simplo and Desai, are making batteries for the iPhone 6, with the possibility that a company called Sunwoda is also working with Apple.

Of the three, Simplo and Sunwoda have reportedly designed a flexible and thin battery that meets Apple's requirements. Dynapack will likely play catch-up as production of this year's iPhones ramps up in the coming months.

Apple has been diversifying its partners in the supply chain over the past year, including adding TSMC as a manufacturer for the iPhone 6's A8 processor.

Battery design was said to be one of the main production problems for the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 a few months ago. Reputable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently said that the display and casing issues still plague the new iPhone hardware, especially the 5.5-inch model. It looks like if there are supply constraints this fall, it will be for other reasons than the new battery.

Alex Heath has been a staff writer at Cult of Mac for three years. He is also a co-host of the CultCast. He has been quoted by places like the BBC, KRON 4 News, and books like 'ICONIC: A Photographic Tribute to Apple Innovation.' If you want to pitch a story, share a tip, or just get in touch, additional contact information is available on his personal site. Twitter always works too. All DMs excepted.

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