Apple Said to Be Working with Intelligent Energy on Fuel Cell Technology for Portable Devices

[MacRumors]

Fuel cell firm Intelligent Energy may be partnering with Apple to introduce fuel cell technology into future MacBooks and other mobile devices claims a report in The Daily Mail. While the tabloid does not have a strong rumor track record, fuel cells have long been discussed as a possible energy source for portable electronics and there are a few interesting pieces of information linked to the report.

Intelligent Energy recently revealed it purchased patents for mobile fuel cell technology from Eveready in association with a major international electronics company. Though the partner company is not revealed in any public filings, the Daily Mail's sources claim the mystery company is Apple.

Intelligent Energy revealed upon floating that it bought a bundle of patents in tandem with a major 'international electronics company'.

It has kept the identity of its partner a closely-guarded secret. But a source, who has knowledge of the partnership, confirmed that Apple is the big name working with the Loughborough-based firm.

Intelligent Energy already has ties to Apple, hiring former Apple executive Joe O'Sullivan to serve as its Chief Operating Officer in late 2011. O'Sullivan spent 15 years in operations at Apple, and managed the introduction of the original iMac.

Apple is no stranger to fuel cell technology, filing a pair of patents in 2010 and 2011 that describe the use of the technology in portable computing devices. The Cupertino company also uses fuel cells on a large scale to help power its corporate headquarters and its Maiden, North Carolina data center.

Article Link: Apple Said to Be Working with Intelligent Energy on Fuel Cell Technology for Portable Devices

 

[TWSS37]

But how thin are they?

 

[agsystems]

But how thin are they?

thin enough that the benefit will get wasted when Apple shrinks their products even more.....

 

[dnlklr]

If Apple solves the battery life problem with a crazy leap forward like this then people will finally shut up about the post-jobs innovation problem

 

[Jakexb]

Incredibly fascinating. I have no idea how they're going to handle charging up the laptop with hydrogen or dealing with the water produced in catalyst, but it's intriguing.

 

[cobbyco]

But then what will the trolls complain about?

 

[the8thark]

But how thin are they?

This thin.

 

[sulpfiction]

Its gonna be while before we see this.

 

[JaySoul]

The iPhone will be waterproof but the fuel cell will run on water.

 

[TWSS37]

This thin.

Image

thanks was hoping for this reply

 

[TsunamiTheClown]

Last i checked fuel cells were in "the low 5 digits" according to the company i was inquiring from. These were small ones as well as far as these things go.

Really curious how Apple could move the needle on this tech, because it is the most amazing thing since the Internal Combustion Engine. ( Yes and better than graphene).

 

[pollaxe]

The Daily Mail is known more colloquially as The Daily Fail on this side of the pond so I'm not sure how much faith I'd put in any of their reports, alas.

Very interesting if there is any truth to this, of course.

 

[Graemezee]

The Daily Mail is renowned for making up anything that supports its agenda, anything that toxic publication produces should be viewed a healthy dose of scepticism

 

[TWSS37]

Last i checked fuel cells were in "the low 5 digits" according to the company i was inquiring from. These were small ones as well as far as these things go.

Really curious how Apple could move the needle on this tech, because it is the most amazing thing since the Internal Combustion Engine. ( Yes and better than graphene).

Apple is premium tech; people should have no problem spending that kind of money if they want a phone that separates them from the Android peasants.

 

[sulpfiction]

If Apple solves the battery life problem with a crazy leap forward like this then people will finally shut up about the post-jobs innovation problem

Apple (assuming this is true) will not be leaping into this technology by any means. It'll be a long, slow, "baby steps" progression. It's not gonna be some keynote shocker that shows up in a macbook in the next year or 2.

 

[ChrisCW11]

Still not innovating...

If Apple solves the battery life problem with a crazy leap forward like this then people will finally shut up about the post-jobs innovation problem

"Fuel cell firm Intelligent Energy may be partnering with Apple."

The key here is that a company called Intelligent Energy already has fuel cell technology and intends to use them with portable devices, Apple wants to apply this technology to their own products. Apple isn't innovating anything here.

All that is happening "post-jobs" is still promoting a myth that Apple actually innovates and not just adapts other people's technology into their products.

 

[DoctorTech]

Makes sense

I agree with the earlier comment that we won't see this in a commercial product for quite a while but it only makes sense that Apple would be pursuing the technology. Whoever overcomes the technological / cost challenges first will have a huge (albeit temporary) competitive advantage.

 

[sulpfiction]

"Fuel cell firm Intelligent Energy may be partnering with Apple."

The key here is that a company called Intelligent Energy already has fuel cell technology and intends to use them with portable devices, Apple wants to apply this technology to their own products. Apple isn't innovating anything here.

All that is happening "post-jobs" is still promoting a myth that Apple actually innovates and not just adapts other people's technology into their products.

So what you're saying is that Apple has to totally invent the technology in order to be innovative?

 

[gnasher729]

I agree with the earlier comment that we won't see this in a commercial product for quite a while but it only makes sense that Apple would be pursuing the technology. Whoever overcomes the technological / cost challenges first will have a huge (albeit temporary) competitive advantage.

More importantly, whether Apple comes first or second, they might be able to produce laptops and phones with huge battery life.

So what you're saying is that Apple has to totally invent the technology in order to be innovative?

You should know that by now. If Apple does it, it's just some old technology that existed for ages, but Apple will get patents for it and everyone else will be suffering. If anyone else does it, it is innovation.

As I said, I don't care whether Apple "innovates" according to someone's definition or not, I care that they produce good stuff.

 

[Edsel]

But then what will the trolls complain about?

...not having a miniaturized wind turbine to power the iPad.

 

[Kissaragi]

Will believe it when I see it. More likely to be large scale fuel cells for apple stores, offices, etc.

 

[Edsel]

The iPhone will be waterproof but the fuel cell will run on water.

...and guess what one can do when there's an immediate need to "refuel" your fuel cell?

iPee Power

 

[Spiritgreywolf]

Nectar Power anyone?

Reminds me of the nectar power thing that was going to run off of little capsules of butane that supposedly were already TSA approved. Talk about Vaporware - they're on "Version 3" now and have yet to sell even a version 1 yet.

I don't hold out high hopes for fuel-cell powered laptops anytime in the future.

 

[CarpalMac]

Not saying that this is it, but whoever wins the race to produce a sensibly sized smart phone with enough juice to last 2+ days on a single charge with accepted average levels of daily use will be the next to be truly able to claim "this changes everything".

I'm lucky if my phone lasts till the late evening after an 8am start and I am definitely not a heavy user.

 

[adamw]

Fuel cells sound like something Apple would be very interested in. We'll see if they adapt them into their product lines.