liquidmetal alloyKorean site ETNews.com claims that Apple is planning to use new "liquid metal" alloys in the iPhone 5 to yield a thinner and lighter device that is resistant to impact damage. Apple acquired the rights to Liquidmetal Technologies' "amorphous metal alloys" in August 2010 and soon after was spotted hiring engineers to work on the materials, but little concrete news on Liquidmetal's contributions to Apple has appeared since that time.

According to industry sources, the next flagship phones of [Apple and Samsung] are expected to adopt unprecedented materials for their main bodies, that is, ceramic for the Galaxy S3 and liquid metal for iPhone5, both being thin, light and highly resistant to external impacts. The new phase of the rivalry is because neither one of them can get a decisive edge over the other solely with its OS and AP specifications, features or design.

The report also claims that the iPhone 5 will debut in June at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), returning to the mid-year launch schedule seen up until last year's launch of the iPhone 4S in October. Most observers expect, however, that the iPhone 5 will not launch until the later September-October timeframe this year as well.

ETNews does not have a lengthy track record regarding Apple rumors, although the site did incorrectly claim last year that the iPhone would launch in late June with a special event several weeks after WWDC. The site appears to have been more accurate with its January claim that Sharp had been cut out of the supply chain for the display in the new iPad. Sharp did experience difficulties meeting Apple's quality control standards for the display production, and is only now ramping up production to help meet demand.

Based on the source's unreliable track record, the preponderance of expectations pointing to a release later in the year, and a lack of corroborating claims regarding Apple's plans for Liquidmetal's alloys, we believe that this rumor is not particularly reliable. Consequently, we are posting this claim to our blog primarily for reader interest and discussion.

Tag: ETNews
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

Agent OrangeZ Avatar
172 months ago
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dobiewonkanobie Avatar
172 months ago
"We want page hits."

It is called Mac RUMORS for a reason.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Menopause Avatar
172 months ago
Liberal pinch of salt added.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
slnko-v-sieti Avatar
172 months ago
The new phase of the rivalry is because neither one of them can get a decisive edge over the other solely with its OS and AP specifications, features or design.
Pretty sure I don't agree with that generalization. Hasn't the iPhone been crushing it precisely because of the edge it has when it comes to iOS, design, app store, &tc.?
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
*LTD* Avatar
172 months ago
The new phase of the rivalry is because neither one of them can get a decisive edge over the other solely with its OS and AP specifications, features or design.

LMAO.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dades Avatar
172 months ago
It wasn't called the iPad 3 and it won't be the iPhone 5. Can we please nip this in the bud, now, before the whole world gets confused again? Thanks.
Do you know what it's going to be called?

People have to call it something until it's announced. Who gives a crap - we all know the rumour relates to the next iPhone. 5, 6, HD, *new* whatever.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

WWDC25 Live Coverage Feature 1

WWDC 2025 Apple Event Live Keynote Coverage: iOS 26, macOS Tahoe, and More

Monday June 9, 2025 9:00 am PDT by
Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) starts today with the traditional keynote kicking things off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. MacRumors is on hand for the event and we'll be sharing details and our thoughts throughout the day. We're expecting to see a number of software-related announcements led by a design revamp across Apple's platforms that will also see the numbering of all of...
maxresdefault

Everything Apple Announced at WWDC 2025 in 9 Minutes

Monday June 9, 2025 5:21 pm PDT by
At today's WWDC 2025 keynote event, Apple unveiled a new design that will inform the next decade of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS development, so needless to say, it was a busy day. Apple also unveiled a ton of new features for the iPhone, an overhauled Spotlight interface for the Mac, and a ton of updates that make the iPad more like a Mac than ever before. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel ...
liquid glass

Apple Announces All-New 'Liquid Glass' Software Redesign Across iOS 26 and More

Monday June 9, 2025 10:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced a complete redesign of all of its major software platforms called "Liquid Glass." Announced simultaneously for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, visionOS, and CarPlay, Liquid Glass forms a new universal design language for the first time. At its WWDC 2025 keynote address, Apple's software chief Craig Federighi said "Apple Silicon has become dramatically more powerful...
iPadOS 26 Apple Newsroom

Apple Says iPadOS 26 is Compatible With These iPad Models

Monday June 9, 2025 11:22 am PDT by
Apple today announced that iPadOS 26 will be compatible with the iPad models listed below. iPadOS 26 features a new Liquid Glass design, a menu bar, improved app windowing, and more. iPadOS 26 supports the following iPad models:iPad Pro (M4) iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later) iPad Air (M2 and later) iPad Air (3rd generation and...
iPhone Car Key WWDC 2025

Apple Says These 13 Vehicle Brands Will Soon Offer iPhone Car Keys

Monday June 9, 2025 2:38 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. During its WWDC 2025 keynote today, Apple said that 13...
Apple WWDC25 iOS 26 hero 250609

Apple Announces iOS 26 With 'Liquid Glass' Design, Live Translation, Overhauled Phone App, and More

Monday June 9, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
Apple at WWDC announced iOS 26, introducing a comprehensive visual redesign built around its new "Liquid Glass" concept, alongside expanded Apple Intelligence capabilities, updates to core communication apps, and more. Liquid Glass is a translucent material that reflects and refracts surroundings to create dynamic, responsive interface elements, according to Apple. The new design language...