Apple working on new power management technology for future Macs

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014


Apple's next-generation Macs will employ new power management technology that will allow devices to be more efficient and run even longer on battery power.



Apple's plans were revealed in a newly published job application discovered by AppleInsider, for a position entitled "Senior DC-DC Power System Design Engineer." The available position is located at Apple's Cupertino, Calif. corporate headquarters.



The advertised job describes the role as "an excellent opportunity to work on the forefront of new power management technologies." The new hire will join a team that will innovate in power use from concept investigation and design through product implementation.



"The position primarily involves (advanced) DC-DC power design and development for Apple's next generation Macintosh platforms," the listing reads, "spanning from notebook computers, desktop computers, servers and standalone displays."



Included in the job advertised on Apple's official website is a wide ranging list of 11 key areas where the employee will work. One of those elements is in improving power metric performance optimization, with a focus on efficiency, power density, cost, reduced carbon footprint, and scalability.











Also mentioned in the listing are "new power architectures" for CPUs and graphics processors, as well as circuit design for the chips that power Mac hardware. The position will see them work closely with Apple's computer system hardware team for DC-DC power designs integration.



The listing also makes mention of optimizing power use with "white LED backlight drivers," related to the LCD screens found on Apple's iMac and MacBook lineups.



Apple would prefer to hire an employee with a PhD in power electronics. Candidates must have at least 8 years of experience in the field to be considered for the high-level position.



[ View article on AppleInsider ]

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 30
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    This.



    Pus the redesign removing the ODD creating space for a bigger battery.



    Plus Haswell's power draw.



    Equals a 24 hour battery. Easily.
  • Reply 2 of 30
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    If anyone can pull it off, it's Apple.



    And "coincidentally".. it will be Samsung immediately afterwards and all the other manufacturers too.



    Oh wait, everyone else will claim long battery life, but only if they turn off everything and only use it at the lowest brightness setting. It'll say it on the fine print... trust me. </s>
  • Reply 3 of 30
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Seriously DC to DC converters are used all over the place in modern computers.
  • Reply 4 of 30
    I hope the macs that are coming out in the next few months have a much improved batter life.
  • Reply 5 of 30
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wizard69 View Post


    Guys this is nothing more than a posting for a power supply engineer.

    Seriously DC to DC converters are used all over the place in modern computers.



    Exactly. No need to get over-excited.
  • Reply 6 of 30
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    This.



    Pus the redesign removing the ODD creating space for a bigger battery.



    Plus Haswell's power draw.



    Equals a 24 hour battery. Easily.



    This what? WTF is a THIS
  • Reply 7 of 30
    umumumumumum Posts: 76member
    seems ai is struggling for news, let me help with some other headlines it can use in future...



    apple working on new display technology for future macs



    apple working on new keyboard technology for future macs



    apple working on faster better stuff for future macs



    bears shit in woods, future macs will be made by apple
  • Reply 8 of 30
    geekdadgeekdad Posts: 1,131member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    This.



    Pus the redesign removing the ODD creating space for a bigger battery.



    Plus Haswell's power draw.



    Equals a 24 hour battery. Easily.



    so......... do you have more than just a thought to back that up?
  • Reply 9 of 30
    gustavgustav Posts: 827member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacInsider2 View Post


    This what? WTF is a THIS



    When someone posts "This." It means "I agree with the above statement." It's a weird meme-like thing.



    Stupid, isn't it? As if "Agreed." is so much more difficult to type.
  • Reply 10 of 30
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacInsider2 View Post


    This what? WTF is a THIS



    The article. Did you bother reading it? Apple obviously has tech planned, either on the hardware or software end, that will further improve power.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by geekdad View Post


    so......... do you have more than just a thought to back that up?



    Yeah, Intel's Haswell power projections. They claim a 24-hour battery, which I figure is far too optimistic considering they're making them for Windows. Apple will likely have the first laptops with that hit that level with Haswell.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gustav View Post


    When someone posts "This." It means "I agree with the above statement." It's a weird meme-like thing.



    Close, but referring TO the article. There was nothing with which to agree.
  • Reply 11 of 30
    mj1970mj1970 Posts: 9,002member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by umumum View Post


    seems ai is struggling for news, let me help with some other headlines it can use in future...



    apple working on new display technology for future macs



    apple working on new keyboard technology for future macs



    apple working on faster better stuff for future macs



    bears shit in woods, future macs will be made by apple



    +1 This.
  • Reply 12 of 30
    paulmjohnsonpaulmjohnson Posts: 1,380member
    Does anyone know if there is a setting on the Macbook Air to make it Instant On, as advertised in the screen grab in the article?



    I just got one a few days ago, and it's return from being asleep (i.e. I shut the lid and then when I open it again) is far from instant. It doesn't seem to be a whole lot quicker than my Macbook Pro, even though it has a solid state drive.
  • Reply 13 of 30
    razorpitrazorpit Posts: 1,796member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by umumum View Post


    seems ai is struggling for news, let me help with some other headlines it can use in future...



    apple working on new display technology for future macs



    apple working on new keyboard technology for future macs



    apple working on faster better stuff for future macs



    bears shit in woods, future macs will be made by apple



    Damn the whole time I've been waiting for Apple to introduce a Mac with 800 x 600 resolution



    A keyboard with more of a 70's IBM feel to them



    The 3 1/2 drive is not dead! I have plenty of them at the house with important files on them, and they fit in my back pocket. Let me see you do that with one of your "faster" hard drives.



    Smaller longer lasting batteries are for suckers. You want longer battery life just get a bigger battery!



    I'm not buying a new Mac until my needs are met!



    And I hate the bears that shit in the woods around my house. The keep breaking in and stealing my Charmin I liked it better when they weren't so finicky and used rabbits!
  • Reply 14 of 30
    brutus009brutus009 Posts: 356member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by PaulMJohnson View Post


    Does anyone know if there is a setting on the Macbook Air to make it Instant On, as advertised in the screen grab in the article?



    I just got one a few days ago, and it's return from being asleep (i.e. I shut the lid and then when I open it again) is far from instant. It doesn't seem to be a whole lot quicker than my Macbook Pro, even though it has a solid state drive.



    Yeah... I found this to be a little disappointing as well. The reality is a 2 second resume after recent use* and an 8 second resume after extended disuse*. Some of the ultraportable clones claim "true instant on" which, in that case, supposedly refers to a 2 second resume regardless of time between usage.



    Why can't it be as fast as my iPhone?



    *I forget where the cutoff is.
  • Reply 15 of 30
    paulmjohnsonpaulmjohnson Posts: 1,380member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by brutus009 View Post


    Yeah... I found this to be a little disappointing as well. The reality is a 2 second resume after recent use* and an 8 second resume after extended disuse*. Some of the ultraportable clones claim "true instant on" which, in that case, supposedly refers to a 2 second resume regardless of time between usage.



    Why can't it be as fast as my iPhone?



    *I forget where the cutoff is.



    It was the iPhone speed I was kind of expecting as well. It's not really a big deal, I just didn't want to have some setting wrong that was causing this.



    Aside from that minor issue, I'm loving the Air. When hooked up to my Thunderbolt display, it works as a great desktop solution, and for someone who spends half their life on the road, it's a marvel.
  • Reply 16 of 30
    Apple is not going to reveal any secrets in a job listing. The articles make the most out of what is otherwise very vaguely worded job listing. And anyway, didn't Apple like to keep even the candidates in the dark for several months after they were hired? The candidate could end up working on anything.
  • Reply 17 of 30
    monstrositymonstrosity Posts: 2,234member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gustav View Post


    When someone posts "This." It means "I agree with the above statement." It's a weird meme-like thing.



    Stupid, isn't it? As if "Agreed." is so much more difficult to type.



    That's a new one on me too!! It appears I aint down with the kids no more.



    I'm not sure I like this new meme, I think it's silly. Oh and "smashed it" gets on my nerves as well. Perhaps I'm getting old.
  • Reply 18 of 30
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by monstrosity View Post


    I'm not sure I like this new meme, I think it's silly. Oh and "smashed it" gets on my nerves as well. Perhaps I'm getting old.



    I'm unfamiliar with the usage of "smashed it", myself. UrbanDictionary (which I use to teach myself about this sort of thing) says "when you do something cool". Is that the definition you mean?
  • Reply 19 of 30
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    Quote:
    Originally Posted by monstrosity View Post


    That's a new one on me too!! It appears I aint down with the kids no more.



    I'm not sure I like this new meme, I think it's silly. Oh and "smashed it" gets on my nerves as well. Perhaps I'm getting old.



    I'm unfamiliar with the usage of "smashed it", myself. UrbanDictionary (which I use to teach myself about this sort of thing) says "when you do something cool". Is that the definition you mean?



    You are both sounding very old \
  • Reply 20 of 30
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by paxman View Post


    You are both sounding very old \



    I'm always feeling very archaic; that might be part of it.
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