While it may not be as sexy as announcing new smartphones or smartwatches, news about hardware components that will eventually bring massive improvements to our devices is still pretty important. Samsung has just announced the launch of two new chips that will be able to support secure and fast-charging USB-C power delivery controllers. The SE8A and the MM101 will enable power chargers “to deliver the optimum amount of power for more efficient charging through authorized products” and basically give us secure and fast charging capabilities.
The two chips are built with an embedded Flash or eFlash. This means that the power delivery controllers will be able to support up to 100W capacity. This is actually ten times better than the 10W that an ordinary smartphone charger can support. In layman’s terms, this will make charging not just faster but also safer. It will also supposedly enable new services to enrich mobile experiences.
The MM101 supports the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) which is a symmetric encryption algorithm. It gives your device safer charging conditions because of its moisture sensing capabilities and product authentication. The SE8A meanwhile is supposedly the industry’s first solution combining a power delivery controller and a Secure Element in just one chip. It also has USB Type-C Authentication which prevents misuse of unapproved products.
The 100W capacity of both the MM101 and the SE8A means that Samsung’s Power Delivery (PD) controllers can be used not just on smartphones but also tablets, laptops, and monitors. They also have over-voltage protection so that the devices won’t be overcharged or overheat when left alone charging.
The MM101 is currently being sampled to companies that need chips like this while the SE8A is already in mass production. We will probably see products carrying these chips sometime later this year or next year.
