Apple Sourcing Carbon Fiber Components for Upcoming Product?

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.

carbon fiber macbook pro decal
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.

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

iOS 18 Available Now With These 8 New Features For Your iPhone

Sunday September 15, 2024 10:09 am PDT by
Following over three months of beta testing, iOS 18 was finally widely released to the public on Monday, September 16. The update is available in the Settings app under General → Software Update on the iPhone XS and newer. Below, we have highlighted eight key new features included in iOS 18, and Apple shared a complete list of new features and changes last week. Note that Apple...
iOS 18 Apple Account Name Feature 2

RIP, Apple ID

Tuesday September 17, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
The "Apple ID" era is officially over. The transition from "Apple ID" to "Apple Account" went from a rumor to an official announcement to something that has now been fully completed. As of this week, the account.apple.com website is fully updated with Apple Account branding. "Apple ID is now Apple Account," the page says. "You can still sign in with the same email address or phone...
M4 Mac mini Black Ortho Cooler

Apple Leaks New Mac Mini With 5 USB-C Ports

Monday September 16, 2024 11:40 am PDT by
Apple has seemingly leaked the rumored next-generation Mac mini with five USB-C ports, according to a code change within Apple software that was discovered today by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The code refers to an unreleased Mac mini model with an Apple silicon chip and five ports, which lines up with a previous report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman that said the next Mac mini will be ...
m4 iPad Pro Horizontal Feature Purple and Blue

Apple Pulls iPadOS 18 for M4 iPad Pro After Bricking Complaints [Updated]

Tuesday September 17, 2024 11:24 am PDT by
Apple stopped signing the iPadOS 18 update for the M4 iPad Pro models, which means the new software is no longer available to be downloaded and installed at the current time. The update appears to have been pulled following complaints from some iPad Pro owners, who found that the update bricked their devices. There are reports on Reddit from iPad Pro users who had an interruption in the...

Top Rated Comments

Jsameds Avatar
156 months ago
Is it 'normal' for carbon fiber to scratch?
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
madsci954 Avatar
156 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?
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Intarweb Avatar
156 months ago
Looks like we're finally getting that G5 Powerbook!
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Shanpdx Avatar
156 months ago
Finally

some Mac news ...

where are the iMac, Mac Mini and 13" MBP retina display?
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
somethingelsefl Avatar
156 months ago
Does this mean we no longer get hear Johnny Ive say, "AL-YEW-MIN-EE-YUM" in the promo videos?
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ThatsMeRight Avatar
156 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"?
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)