The US Patent & Trademark Office today published two patent applications from Apple that relate to Apple Watch. The first covers Apple considering the use of Liquidmetal (amorphous glass) for a higher-end case material and a variety of polymers for lower-end Apple Watch models.
Jack Purcher for Patently Apple:
The polymers could be used in forming a strong weave finish… In some examples, the overmold material can be a metallic material, an amorphous material such as glass, a polymeric material, or other appropriate material. An amorphous material such as glass translates to being “Liquid Metal.”
Apple notes that the overmold material can provide a pleasing look and/or feel to the surface of the device. The overmold material can also serve to enhance the durability or toughness of the backside of Apple Watch. For example, the overmold material can serve to absorb shocks and impacts during use to prevent or reduce cracking or chipping of the substrate.
Apple’s patent covers both higher end material such as liquid metal and lower cost polymers. One advantage for using polymers could be to save on costs for entry level iDevices…
MacDailyNews Take: It’d be nice to see Apple finally put their perpetual Liquidmetal license to use in Apple Watch and elsewhere!
We’re now a 3-5 years past where experts thought Apple would begin using Liquidmetal in earnest:
I estimate that Apple will likely spend on the order of $300 million to $500 million — and three to five years — to mature the technology before it can used in large scale. — Dr. Atakan Peker, one of the Caltech researchers who invented Liquidmetal, May 2012
I think the only place Apple has used this is in the sim holder folder iphones. And that may just be a rumor.
I have heard a similar rumor… that the little paperclip-like pin used to open the sim tray was made of Liquidmetal.
It was. I still have mine. Very strong indeed.
I still have mine as well.
When do yo see Apple actually utilizes more of this liquid metal as company is owned by China?
I’m ready for the LiquidMetal watch and the back of the iPhone.
No!!! Not polymers!!!
LiquidMetal is a penny stock, I own several thousand just in case.
Yah, have held that for years now. Those pennies just keep on evaporating. Cant remember my cost basis, maybe 75 cents? Trading at 7 cents now. Down 5% today. Oh well, need something to offset all my gains betting against the market the past month heh.
When do yo see Apple actually utilizes more of this liquid metal as company is owned by China?
I remember so many people on various Apple forums, back then, including this one, say that Dr Peker didn’t know what he was talking about, and that Apple would be using LiquidMetal shortly. That was a laugh. People who weren’t happy with his statement, who knew nothing about any of it, saying that the main inventor of the material didn’t know what he was talking about.
Though what I would bring up was why Apple simply didn’t buy the company. They did get the rights, for several years, for exclusive use of the product for specific purposes, which they renewed. But the company never made more that $13 million in sales in any particular year, and much less in most every year. Apple could have bought it for peanuts, and just owned the technology.
Apple is odd that way.