“Apple’s next-generation iPhone is expected to adopt a stainless steel forging process for its new chassis frame instead of traditional CNC machining,” Aaron Lee and Joseph Tsai report for DigiTimes. “Component orders are expected to be shared between Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry) and US-based Jabil.”
“The next-generation iPhone is expected to abandon its conventional aluminum back cover design and will adopt a new design using two reinforced glass panes and a metal frame in the middle,” Lee and Tsai report. “The metal bezel will be made of stainless steel using a forging process to enhance its sturdiness and reduce costs and manufacturing time.”
Lee and Tsai report, “The sources said that Apple will still outsource orders for internal structural parts to [existing chassis suppliers, Catcher Technology and Casetek] and the stainless steel bezel will also need to be further refined by CNC machining, so the players will not be greatly affected.
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: For these reports out of the far east, we always wonder what’s been lost in translation. So, is this “glass,” as in Gorilla glass, or is it bulk metallic glass (as in: Liquidmetal) or both? Is it there in order to permit true wireless charging? And, is this really just stainless steel or is it something more; something that rivals cannot replicate, like, oh, Liquidmetal?
SEE ALSO:
More evidence suggests Apple tie-up with true wireless charging firm Energous – December 21, 2016
Apple supplier Dialog partners with wireless charging company Energous – December 15, 2016
Ming-Chi Kuo: Apple’s next-gen iPhone to feature all-glass case for wireless charging – November 23, 2016
Two major ‘iPhone 8’ leaks reveal groundbreaking new features – November 23, 2016
Evidence suggests Apple is working on the biggest mobile game-changer since the original iPhone – November 8, 2016
Apple possibly working with Energous on extended range wireless charging for future iPhones – February 5, 2016
Apple developing cutting-edge long-range wirelessly-charged iPhones and iPads – January 29, 2016
Apple looks to patent inductive charging system that could power an Apple Pencil or even a future kitchen appliance – January 7, 2016
Apple files 5th wireless inductive charging patent application since Late September – November 5, 2015\
Apple patent application reveals iPhone inductive charging sans extra hardware – October 8, 2015
Patent application reveals Apple working on wireless charging systems focused on rapid power delivery – August 27, 2015
Apple invents inductive charging interfaces for mobile devices – April 2, 2015
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Evidence suggests Apple to use breakthrough Liquidmetal somewhere soon – October 18, 2016
Apple supplier Catcher CEO: One iPhone model will adopt glass casing next year – May 19, 2016
Apple granted key U.S patent for Touch ID fingerprint recognition integrated into Multi-Touch display – May 18, 2016
Apple supplier LG Innotek embeds fingerprint sensor into display – May 4, 2016
Why the 2017 iPhone will be made of Liquidmetal – April 18, 2016
Ming-Chi Kuo: Apple’s 2017 iPhone to feature new ‘all glass’ enclosure – April 18, 2016
Professor behind Liquidmorphium Turing Phone invests in Liquidmetal, named to Board, enters into cross-licensing agreement – March 14, 2016
3D fingerprint sensors under Gorilla Glass may let Apple kill iPhone’s Home button – July 21, 2015
The Turing Phone is not made out of Liquidmetal – July 15, 2015
Why does Apple keep extending their partnership with Liquidmetal? – June 25, 2015
Apple extends Liquidmetal exclusivity deal through February 2016 – June 23, 2015
Apple working on eliminating the Home button on iPhone, iPad, sources say – June 22, 2015
Two new Liquidmetal patent filings from Apple revealed; list watch and jewelry among potential uses – April 23, 2015
Apple files for patent to move Touch ID fingerprint scanner from home button to display – February 9, 2015
Liquidmetal’s Apple alliance yet to bear fruit – September 30, 2014
Apple’s new Liquidmetal-related patent sparks speculation – July 7, 2014
Apple patents method for embedding sapphire displays in LiquidMetal device chassis – May 27, 2014
Liquidmetal-Visser agreement paves the way for more rapid adoption of amorphous metal manufacturing – May 21, 2014
Apple extends Liquidmetal exclusivity deal through February 2015 – May 21, 2014
please let it be LiquidMetal
— Only if LiquidMetal works …
Yes, Liquid Metal please for selfish reasons.
And based on their video’s, the phones will bounce higher.
Blahahahaha
No way; LM is a metal alloy, it is not radio transparent, it will tamper with both wireless charging. There is a reason why Apple Watch’s back is glass/crystal/ceramics.
Also, DigiTimes pushes nonsense whent it claims forging makes metal stronger. Exact opposite it true: CNC machining from metal bricks results in way stronger parts versus forging. In fact, one of Apple’s revolutions in manufacturing was bringing CNC machining equipment into production of electronics.
So if Apple will return to forging at all (doubtful), it will not be for strength, but purely for cost reasons. In such case it would mean that Apple thinks that resulting strength of construction would be sufficient for the new phone.
If you ask me, this does not bode well for wireless charging. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t know a lot about wireless charging, but metal is kind of problem here.
Small metal frame between two RF transparent glass panels ought to allow easy RF charging, if that is indeed practical.
MDN — Dudes ! — you cannot say “lost in translation” ! It is implicitly racist, xenophobic, and politically incorrect. So says Lucy Koh.
well maybe MDN can’t, but I can…. “lost in translation” 😉😊
That was sarcasm, for those who may have missed it.
MDN: It’s transparent aluminum
Which would be Aluminium oxynitride, but it is damn hard to machine … mostly used for bullet proof windows.
99.9999% of the word’s population would actually know the difference and less than 0.000001% would actually care.