Taiwan-Based Lite-On Semiconductor to Provide Wireless Charging Parts for iPhone 8

It’s looking more and more certain that the iPhone 8 will feature wireless charging capabilities. A new report has surfaced indicating that Taiwan-based Lite-On Semiconductor has been tapped to manufacture half the GPP bridge rectifiers needed to support fast wireless charging in Apple’s next-gen flagship smartphone.

The news first broke in the Chinese-language Commercial Times, according to DigiTimes. Lite-On Semi, a manufacturer of discrete and analog integrated chip components, did not comment on the report that it had entered Apple’s global supply chain, although its stock rallied by its daily 10% limit to $0.91 when the story emerged on January 19.

Wireless charging for smartphones has been a subject of much discussion and rumor over the years. The rumors intensified when Apple received a patent in 2012 for wireless charging utilizing near field magnetic resonance.

Last year, Energous announced a collaboration with long-time Apple supplier Dialog Semiconductor to manufacture and market hardware components. Energous is a US startup that specializes in long-range wireless charging technology. A year before the Dialog deal was even publicized, Energous CEO obliquely referred to a development and licensing agreement with a “tier one” consumer electronics company, according to AppleInsider, fueling further speculation about integration of such technology into future iPhones.

The latest report suggests that Lite-On Semi may possibly be another provider of wireless charging components for Apple, though it bears mentioning that nothing has been verified by Cupertino.

The highly anticipated iPhone 8 is slated for release in September 2017, marking the tenth anniversary of the iPhone line.