Apple is known for introducing new technologies and using new materials to produce first class products for its customers. It is because of this very reason we get to see or hear about a new technology or material from Apple every now and then which also makes Cupertino-based company’s devices different from others. Following this strategy, it seems that Apple is now looking to use Liquidmetal to build future iPads, iPhones and other devices. The secret was leaked through a new patent filing with the United States Patent & Trademark Office, which was awarded to Crucible Intellectual Property, on Wednesday, July 17th.
The Crucible Intellectual Property is actually a shell company that has an exclusive licensing tie-up with Liquidmetal Technologies and Apple, which indicated at the possibility of using Liquidemental in the next gen iPad, iPhone and other devices from the company, according to Engadget. Although, Liquidmetal material is not new for Apple, as the company is already using it in the making of its SIM ejector tool, but the use of the material to build a full device does not look feasible, as it is too costly.
The reason for Liquidmetal to be so expensive is that it has very hard chemical properties because of which it gets really complicated to mould this material. The California-based tech giant already has an exclusive licence to sell products in the consumer market that are made with Liquidmetal. However, sources say that currently it is not possible to make larger objects such as bodies of tablets and smartphones with Liquidmetal because stretching and applying traditional techniques to the material will cause it to break. So far all the attempts to use Liquidmetal in the development of big devices have failed so far.
“Now, we can’t claim dwarven levels of expertise on the subject, but we’re inclined to agree with the interpretation of the folks at Electronista, who spotted that the patent describes a range of factory methods (generally involving lots of melting and conveyor belts) for creating sheets of metallic glass of controllable thickness between 0.1mm and 25mm and in widths of up to three meters. The paperwork explicitly mentions the use of these sheets in making iPhones, iPads, watches or indeed “any electronic device known the art.”
Nevertheless, interesting thing about the latest patent is that it claims that there is a plant which uses new method of producing Liquidmetal, as it continuously operates for up to 15 years and produces about 6,000 kilometres of this material during a year.
Source: iPhoneinCanada
Photo: ApplenApps
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