Roger Fingas
The CEO of Dialog Semiconductor continued trying to assuage the concerns of investors this week, suggesting not only that the company has Apple contracts through 2020, but that it could have work on unannounced products beyond the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.
"It's a continuing and growing business relationship on a number of areas and beginning more visibility of non-power products as well, which we're very pleased with," Jalal Bagherli said on Wednesday, quoted by Business Insider. "And we hope to land the number of significant opportunities in those areas that we can report on in the future."
Dialog supplies power management chips to Apple, but the latter is rumored to be designing its own chips as a way of both optimizing performance and cutting costs. Apple is Dialog's biggest customer, and losing its business completely would deal a serious blow.
"I'm not aware of specific products being released or volume being planned or in preparation," Bagherli said. "But it is relatively early for 2019. It's possible and I just want you to be aware."
In March, Bankhaus Lampe analyst Karsten Iltgen claimed that Apple may even be accelerating chip development, forcing Dialog to switch gears sooner.
Some possibilities for Dialog could include a cheaper HomePod, and the company's rumored augmented reality headset. The headset isn't expected until at least 2020, but could be a major, standalone product requiring special engineering to compress AR into an attractive wearable format.
Most AR headsets are still relatively bulky, and tethered to a phone or some other separate processor. Even Apple's product may rely on external hardware, though it may not have to be carried.
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3 Comments
Isn't blathering on about stuff that Apple wants kept secret a way to not get the business...?
Apple probably wants all the 'great stuff coming' kind of press they can get right about now. So long as there are no details, how could it hurt?
As far as any of this as to do with the Mac... I think Apple needs to throw us a bone or two ASAP. I'm not waiting around for 2 or 3 more years until Apple gets their act together or devises some 'perfect' new product. More likely, I'm guessing the final paragraph about stuff like HomePod or VR headsets are more likely. Apple seems to have tons of resources to pour into AI cars, VR, watches, home speakers, etc.... but when it comes to Mac.... oh, maybe you'll get an update in a few years. Actions speak louder than...
These ego-driven or self-serving statements by Apple suppliers used to result in those suppliers losing Apple’s business. That tradition should continue.
”Loose lips sink (semiconductor) chips”!