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Apple Sourcing Carbon Fiber Components for Upcoming Product?

Wednesday September 26, 2012 7:42 am PDT by Eric Slivka
Mac Otakara reports that it has received information from a source indicating that representatives of Apple and Foxconn have been working to source unknown parts from a company with expertise in carbon fiber materials.
According to my source, some engineer of Apple and Foxconn Technology came on Japanese company, which has carbon production in mid-March, and they requested to develop some sample.

I don't have information which is ordered by Apple, source told the number of parts is too large to be called "sample".
Rumors of Apple's interest in carbon fiber, which offers high strength at low weight, have been circulating for a number of years but have yet to come to fruition. Nearly four years ago there were rumors of a carbon fiber MacBook Air, and Apple patent applications have indicated that the company is at least exploring what could be done with such materials.


MacBook Pro covered by "carbon fiber" stickers

More recently, a pair of reports had indicated that the iPad 2 might gain a carbon fiber body. Those claims did not come to pass, although both reports had indicated that the information was rather sketchy in nature as Apple may simply have been testing the technology during the company's product development cycle.

With the hiring of Kevin Kenney last year as a senior composites engineer, speculation regarding Apple's plans for carbon fiber has continued to surface. Kenney had previously served as president and CEO of carbon fiber bicycle frame pioneer Kestrel Bicycles.

Tag: macotakara.jp
[ 215 comments ]


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Jsameds
87 months ago
Is it 'normal' for carbon fiber to scratch?
Rating: 32 Votes
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madsci954
87 months ago

Does this mean we no longer get hear Johnny Ive say, "AL-YEW-MIN-EE-YUM" in the promo videos?


You do know that's how people in the UK (I'm not sure of other parts of Europe) pronounce Aluminium, don't you?
Rating: 26 Votes
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Intarweb
87 months ago
Looks like we're finally getting that G5 Powerbook!
Rating: 20 Votes
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shanmugam
87 months ago
Finally

some Mac news ...

where are the iMac, Mac Mini and 13" MBP retina display?
Rating: 19 Votes
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somethingelsefl
87 months ago
Does this mean we no longer get hear Johnny Ive say, "AL-YEW-MIN-EE-YUM" in the promo videos?
Rating: 18 Votes
Avatar
ThatsMeRight
87 months ago

More recently, a pair of reports had indicated that the iPad 2 might gain a carbon fiber body.

Reports from early 2011 are called "More recently"?
Rating: 14 Votes
Avatar
ciociosan
87 months ago

Source told the number of parts is too large to be called "sample".


ALFRED: We order the main part
of this cowl from Singapore.
BRUCE: Via a dummy corporation.
A: Indeed. And then, quite separately... we place an order
to a Chinese company for these.
B: Put it together ourselves.
A: Precisely. They'll have to be large orders,
to avoid suspicion.
B: How large?
A: Say 10,000.
B: Well, at least we'll have spares.


New rumor: Tim Cook is Batman.
Rating: 13 Votes
Avatar
nick_elt
87 months ago

Does this mean we no longer get hear Johnny Ive say, "AL-YEW-MIN-EE-YUM" in the promo videos?


You mean how its supposed to be said...
Rating: 13 Votes
Avatar
iSee
87 months ago
"I know a guy whose sister said she heard a couple of people taking about and engineer they know who used to work with an Apple engineer who definitely says carbon fiber is coming to Apple products!!!
Rating: 9 Votes
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nick_elt
87 months ago

You do know that's how people in the UK (I'm not sure of other parts of Europe) pronounce Aluminium, don't you?


How everyone in the world (bar the yanks) says it not just uk
Rating: 8 Votes

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