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Apple’s ex-wireless lead plots a solid state future for electronics

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Future smartphones may not need traditional metallic circuits if a start-up led by Apple’s former 5G chief, Ruben Caballero, gets its way.

Apple’s ex-wireless lead is on a fresh mission

A company called Keyssa is developing new ways to achieve high-speed, contactless connectivity.

Its website describes multiple ways this might work, from pairing set top boxes to televisions to sharing data with a bump.

But it’s possible the most compelling future implication may be in its use as an interconnect on a component basis inside devices.

Product design has hit a wall when it comes to I/O, which is what Keyssa is trying to solve with its solid-state contactless technology.

(It is interesting to note its solution is based on millimeter wave (mmWave), which Apple has reportedly been testing.)

The Apple connection

Keyssa recently appointed Apple’s former VP engineering, Ruben Caballero as its Chief Wireless Strategist.

He’s the man who led Apple’s wireless tech development, including work on 5G and designs for the first iPads and iPhones.

He left Apple shortly around the time it was announced the company would purchase modem technologies from Intel to accelerate 5G modem development.

I don’t know if Caballero was involved in Apple’s attempt to enhance the Qi standard with the ability to recharge multiple devices intelligently via one pad, but it seems interesting that his career has led him to work with the new tech.

You see, while processors, memory and other components have increased in speed, the actual performance of the metal pins used inside devices to connect these parts has not.

There is no Moore’s Law for pins, so Keyssa’s solution is to ditch the pins.

www.computerworld.com