Tracker sales grew 70% year on year in Q1, unit sales up 67%, reported NPD Friday. Sixty-three percent of smartphone owners say they're “somewhat” interested in buying a tracking device for lost things; 69% for iPhone users, 57% for Android. Apple’s AirTag announcement Tuesday and recent Samsung SmartTag releases could drive new buyers, said analyst Jill Aldort.
OtterBox added a 30-watt and combined 20-watt/30-watt charger with fast charge capability and programmable power supply technology, it said Wednesday. The power products intelligently fluctuate charging speed based on the needs of the device, it said. The $34.95 car charger (cable not included), with 20- and 30-watt USB ports, delivers a 58% smartphone charge in 30 minutes, said the company. The charger supports USB Power Delivery and PPS fast-charging technology. A new 30-watt wall charging kit ($39.95) includes a USB-C-to-USB-C cable and wall charger, powered by GaN technology that's said to provide high efficiency in a small form factor.
Accessories maker Raptic bowed three power stations, led by the $99 Titan Air with 100 watt-hours’ capacity to charge a smartphone four times, laptops and tablets once, and a GoPro camera seven times. The $499 Titan XL charges smartphones 40 times, laptops 10 times, tablets 12, a GoPro 70 or a continuous positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP) machine for up to 14 hours' use, said the company Wednesday. A $299 unit powers a CPAP machine for seven hours' use.
Belkin’s Boost Charge Pro USB-C charger ($49), launched Wednesday, was designed to be about half the size of a standard 60-watt laptop power supply, said the company. It uses gallium nitride, allowing components to be positioned closer together. The charger, with overcurrent and overvoltage protection, is USB-C Power Delivery-certified for fast charging of compatible devices. Belkin pitched it for use with the iPhone 12, Google Pixel, iPad Pro and MacBook Pro.
Huntkey bowed a fast charger ($16) for USB-C-equipped devices, including smartphones, tablets and notebook PCs. A dual-chip design allows it to adapt to global voltage inputs from 100V to 240V, said the company Friday: The 18-watt device can charge an iPad Pro in 3.5 hours.
Sanho's HyperJuice USB-C + Lightning battery pack ($79) is the first with a built-in 18-watt Apple Made for iPhone lightning cable that can charge the iPhone at the fastest possible speed, said the accessories company Monday. The 15,000 mAh battery pack charges from empty to 50% in under 30 minutes, it said. Lightning and USB-C cables are included. Users can charge the battery pack and iPhone simultaneously via an iPhone USB-C charger with the unit’s built-in cables.
Spigen introduced a fast charger using gallium nitride (GaN) technology Monday, positioning it for the iPhone 12, rumored to be the first iPhone not packaged with a charger or earphones. The 20-watt PowerArc ArcStation Pro, based on Navitas Semiconductor's GaNFast power ICs, is said to be smaller and more efficient than standard chargers. It’s due to sell on Amazon later this month at $20, Spigen said.
OtterBox protective cases for the Galaxy Note20 5G and Note20 Ultra 5G have antimicrobial technology, said the company Wednesday. Prices start at $49.
Car technology company Carly announced a universal adapter and app for vehicles that provides diagnostic information via a vehicle’s on-board diagnostics port. The app is available at Apple’s App Store and Google Play. The adapter monitors a car’s health based on the number and severity of detected faults, and live data reads out information including oil temperature, said the company Wednesday. Customized features for BMW, Volkswagen, Audi, Seat and Skoda vehicles allow users to change behavior of lights and turn off certain audible notifications, it said. Module price is $79.90; annual subscriptions range from free to $64.
Aukey launched at CES what it calls the world’s fastest chargers, gallium nitride designs with power delivery based on OmniaChip integrated circuits it developed with Navitas. The chips were designed to increase switching speeds while saving energy from a smaller form factor; the chargers’ dynamic detect technology maximizes charging efficiency, it said. The line supports laptops, smartphones and portable game players, said the company.