How And Why is EMI Shielding Being Used by Major Mobile Manufacturers?

Smartphones have become an indispensable part of our lives. Our constant companions, we carry them everywhere we go. But what if you knew that mobile phones give off electromagnetic waves that are actually harmful for our health? Would you give up using your phone? That's not a practical option, and even cell phone manufacturers have begun to realize that. This is why various companies are actively trying to integrate electromagnetic interference shielding technology in their devices. Read on to find out how this newest addition would prove advantageous to consumers.

Meeting Consumer Expectations

The number of consumers becoming aware of the negative impacts of Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) is increasing steadily, and this move by the mobile brands is a part of their strategy to allay the fears of users. The incorporation of shielding technology makes the phones virtually risk-free, and developments are underway to add this mechanism to components like connectivity chips (Bluetooth, wireless LAN), radio frequency (RF), application processor (AP) and other modems.

Apple, especially, has proven to be a frontrunner in this matter. This is because experts believe that the future models from the company would be the first to apply this technology to individual components soldered on smartphone boards.

However, there is a possibility that companies are rushing to apply this technology to the standalone components mainly due to the fact that users might demand a remedy for wireless communication interference. As the use of smartphones has risen considerably over the past few years, the degree of interference has also gone up, prompting companies to focus on EMI shielding research.

EMI Shielding Mechanism

The application of EMI shielding prevents electromagnetic interference from emitting unexpected signals. Circuit boards are also elaborately assembled due to the decreased mounting space between chips, the leftover areas being used for batteries. This has a direct impact on battery life, which is of extreme importance to cell phone users.

Cell phone manufacturers need to introduce the EMI shielding technology early on in the process of design in order to maximize its effectiveness. Any changes made later on might cause problems at the time of production and delay the launch of the smartphone, causing the manufacturers to lose out on revenue. This is why companies cannot afford to do a rush-job.

EMI shielding in mobile phones will most probably involve a process that coats the packaging surface with ultra-thin metal. The next step would be loading these packaged chips onto the EMI shield sputters. The better the handlers and sputters, the better the speed, stability and precision the phones will enjoy.

Companies like Apple have used this sort of technology in the past, not on its smartphones but on its first ever wearable, the Apple Watch. This means that the mobile industry is not exactly a novice when it comes to the use of electromagnetic interference shielding, but, as a whole, the manufacturers are taking things slow to ensure that users get the benefits they require without any sort of tech misfires. This is an expensive process and so, they cannot afford to go wrong.

Elvis Moore is an active blogger with an extensive industry experience in the field of electronics and technology.