Liquidmetal Used in iPhone 3G SIM Tool, Next iPhone Too?
Cult of Mac revealed yesterday that Apple had already started testing the manufacturing capabilities of Liquid Metal for one small component of the iPhone 3G -- the SIM eject tool. Atakan Peker the co-inventor of the alloy recognized the metal immediately when he saw it:
"That's my metal," he said. "I recognized it immediately. Take it from an expert, that's Liquidmetal."
Apple reportedly sourced the part from Liquidmetal Technologies as a test of the company's manufacturing capabilities. Not all the iPhone 3Gs shipped with the Liquidmetal SIM tool. European iPhone 3Gs were said to have shipped with regular steel pins.
Meanwhile, other former Liquidmetal Technology executives have speculated that Apple will be building their next iPhone out of the alloy.
"I think theyre going to make the iPhone out of it," said Dr. Jan Schroers, the former director of research at Liquidmetal Technologies, the first company to commercially develop the space-age technology. "It's quite obvious from what Liquidmetal has done in the past and what the technology is capable of."
According to Schroers, Apple could create intricate seamless enclosures by blow-molding the melted alloy like glass. The resultant structure could be thinner and stronger than existing Apple hardware enclosures.
It was revealed last week that Apple had acquired the exclusive rights to Liquidmetal for use in the consumer electronics field.
Popular Stories
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 appears to be nearly over, and it is rumored to feature both satellite connectivity and 5G support.
Apple Watch Ultra's existing Night Mode
In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on track to launch this year with "significant" new features, including satellite connectivity, which would let you...
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models.
Latest Rumors
These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
The iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature the biggest ever battery in an iPhone, according to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital."
In a new post, the leaker listed the battery capacities of the iPhone 11 Pro Max through to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and added that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a battery capacity of 5,000mAh:
iPhone 11 Pro Max: 3,969mAh
iPhone 12 Pro Max: 3,687mAh...
Apple's position as the dominant force in the global true wireless stereo (TWS) earbud market is expected to continue through 2025, according to Counterpoint Research.
The forecast outlines a 3% year-over-year increase in global TWS unit shipments for 2025, signaling a transition from rapid growth to a more mature phase for the category. While Apple is set to remain the leading brand by...
AppleInsider's Marko Zivkovic today shared a list of alleged identifiers for future Mac models, which should roll out over the next year or so.
The report does not reveal anything too surprising, but it does serve as further evidence that Apple is seemingly working on new models of every Mac, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro.
Apple is...
The upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are rumored to have a slightly different MagSafe magnet layout compared to existing iPhone models, and a leaked photo has offered a closer look at the supposed new design.
The leaker Majin Bu today shared a photo of alleged MagSafe magnet arrays for third-party iPhone 17 Pro cases. On existing iPhone models with MagSafe, the magnets form a...
