iPhone 9 could have a big, fast charging battery

We don’t even have the iPhone 8 yet, but already we’re hearing about the iPhone 9, and this early rumor bodes well, as it sounds like Apple’s 2018 handset could have a bigger battery than the company tends to put in phones.

A report from The Korea Economic Daily states that Apple will use an L-shaped battery supplied by LG Chem. Why L-shaped? Because it allows Apple to fit in a bigger battery without making the phone itself much bigger.

The report explains that the battery is bent to the right at the bottom and “Apple has customized it to take advantage of the space on the bottom right of the iPhone that has evolved from the development of electronic component integration technology.”

That’s good news, because battery life is an issue for most phones and one which Apple has so far failed to convincingly tackle. Given its focus on slim handsets, an L-shaped battery seems an ideal way to make the most of limited space.

It's fast too

And it won’t just be bigger, the design also apparently allows for faster charging times, so you’ll spend less time plugged in.

This would be a big win for LG too, as Apple tends to use multiple suppliers for its batteries, but according to this report LG Chem would be the sole provider as it’s made a big investment in L-shaped batteries, while most companies remain focused on conventional rectangular ones.

The iPhone 9 is likely over a year away, so we’d take this with a huge pinch of salt. The report could be wrong, and even if it’s not plans could change.

Still, it’s a promising sign that Apple could be addressing one of the iPhone’s biggest flaws, even if we have to wait until 2018 for it to happen.