As pointed out above, it's not quite that simple because there are different alloys.
Their most common alloy is listed as non-magnetic and a relatively poor conductor. No mention is made of radio transparency. There have been many reports that some liquidmetal alloys are radio transparent - and that may even be true - but I haven't seen any evidence from LQMT or anyone who really knows.
I think the word alloy(s) is in reference to various ratios of the same two elements ZrTi not other completely unrelated metals. Your previous remarks that there were alloys of Platinum and Aluminum seem to me to be unfounded as I was not able to find any reference on the Internet either.
The other comment from the original co-founder, who by the way is no longer with the company, that LM could be suitable for an antenna combined with a structural frame seems to indicate that there may be a more conductive version but an argument being made by some for the entire back of the device to be constructed from LM is probably not one of the possible configurations being considered by Apple.
I think the word alloy(s) is in reference to various ratios of the same two elements ZrTi not other completely unrelated metals. Your previous remarks that there were alloys of Platinum and Aluminum seem to me to be unfounded as I was not able to find any reference on the Internet either.
It's really not that hard to search. My first attempt used the keywords 'alloy liquidmetal platinum'. The fourth hit was:
86% of Android phones are 4" or larger. So large Android phones outsold small Android and iOS phones combined close to 2:1.
Apple is missing huge opportunity. Apple would probably sell twice more phones if a large screen iPhone model would be available.
2011 phone sales (millions)
Premium quality iPhones = 93
Cheap garbage Android phones = 198
Apple is missing a huge opportunity. Apple would probably sell ten times as many phones if a cheap plastic disposable model with a more-than-one-year-old laggy OS that will never be upgraded, lacking customer support but with ads and bloatware was available.
Liquidmetal is made primarily from zirconia. It's basically a metalized glass. And Apple released a patent a while back talking about it...
"In the August 7, 2006 filing, published Thursday by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the iPod maker said zirconia -- often used to replicate diamonds for costume jewelry -- offers advantages over other materials, such as aluminum, in that it is structurally strong, stiff and radio transparent. "
I did some research and, apparently, you can create "liquid metal" transparent "glass" that is optically neutral.
If that's possible, they could use transparent LM for the front and opaque LM for the back and edges.
CZ is almost as hard and wear-resistant as a diamond... so, coupled with optical and radio properties -- there are some interesting possibilities.
Anybody notice from the photo that the mute switch is on the same side as the camera? Never on an iPhone has that been the case.
Thoughts?
The story on this is that a big screen, super thin Apple iPhone prototype slipped out of one Apple's suppliers and made it into the hands of case manufacturers. This was last year during the run up to the 2011 iPhone. It was going to have ~4.4" screen, lozenge shaped home button, vertically off-centered screen, slightly tear-dropped profile and super-thin (iPod touch thin).
Obviously didn't happen. So maybe it was a intentional leak from Apple to burn case suppliers or it was just a prototype. There were a ton of these cases floating around last year.
Brian J. White: Putting the "anal" back in analyst. Let's face it: he had no special access to the deep dark recesses of Jony Ive's design lab. Its BLIND SPECULATION, fueled by hope and wishes. If he really wants to catch a 6th Gen iPhone in the wild, he needs to hang out at bars in Cupertino.
Actually, I think the demand is for an iPhone sized phone, not so much the screen size. If it were possible to make the screen 4" rather than 3.5" without changing the phone size by reducing the size of the borders, I think a lot of people would be happy with a larger screen.
I think Apple would gain more people than it would lose by having a larger screen, regardless if it increased the size of the phone a tad or not.
I don't think so. The iPhone 3GS outsold every single large screen android phone in 2011. If large screens were so desirable that would not happen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mercury99
2011 phone sales (millions)
iOS 93
Android 237
86% of Android phones are 4" or larger. So large Android phones outsold small Android and iOS phones combined close to 2:1.
Apple is missing huge opportunity. Apple would probably sell twice more phones if a large screen iPhone model would be available.
I think the OP meant that there isn't a hardware manufacturer out there making more phones with a >3.5" screen than Apple. You seem to count software sales (iOS/Android)
Quote:
Originally Posted by thataveragejoe
You expect people to pay $6/700 through Apple? It's just not going to happen.
Already happening around me. Possibly because people found out they are paying more if it's subsidized, while if you do the math you are paying less buying it straight from the Apple store. That WILL differ though from country to country, or better, from telco to telco.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TBell
Sometimes people get bored. So even though a new case might not effect performance, people like different things. I for one would welcome the 4 inch screen.
I wouldn't know from reading about a 4" screen online, but will know when I feel the phone in my hand. Personally I don't want a 4" screen, or more precisely, don't want a physical larger phone. I certainly hope they won't drop the 3.5" model we have now. Add a larger screen to their lineup, fine.
Already happening around me. Possibly because people found out they are paying more if it's subsidized, while if you do the math you are paying less buying it straight from the Apple store. That WILL differ though from country to country, or better, from telco to telco.
That's me. I've been using AT&T for years, but when my contract expires in June, I'm going to switch my numbers to Straight Talk - and they buy an unlocked iPhone 4S (or maybe continue using my iPhone 4 until the fall to see what the new one looks like).
Quote:
Originally Posted by island hermit
I think Apple would gain more people than it would lose by having a larger screen, regardless if it increased the size of the phone a tad or not.
Maybe if the increase it 'a tad' - but only because there are few competitive phones that are the size of the current iPhone. If the increase it much, I'll believe they will start losing customers (and they apparently agree).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum
I did some research and, apparently, you can create "liquid metal" transparent "glass" that is optically neutral.
It's far too early in the development of such products for them to be useful for a case. The existing products are far too soft, among other things. They could use a transparent ceramic, but it's not clear how much advantage it would offer over gorilla glass. A bit more scratch resistant, but more brittle.
That's me. I've been using AT&T for years, but when my contract expires in June, I'm going to switch my numbers to Straight Talk - and they buy an unlocked iPhone 4S (or maybe continue using my iPhone 4 until the fall to see what the new one looks like).
Will you be able to have your number ported from telco to telco? We have that ability in The Netherlands, Dutch law even requires from the telco to move the subscription number over within 15 days.
Me, I move from telco to telco every 2 years. Or used to. Over here, KPN doesn't support VisualVoicemail and their 3G is spotty in the areas where I am, daily. Top it off with their ? 12,50 a month for 500MB data cap and I'll be moving back to T-Mobile network, sans contract. For some strange reason their 3G coverage is better. And they have VV, which I simply love.
Anybody notice from the photo that the mute switch is on the same side as the camera? Never on an iPhone has that been the case.
Thoughts?
I'm thinking that it is not the mute switch, but a new button specifically to activate siri; no need to go through the home button or unlock the screen, just instant siri commands. I think that would be a huge deal; if it happens it might even be the most common way to initiate an interaction with the phone, very convenient. That, and a magsafe connector are the two features I'm most hoping for in the 'new' iPhone, along with the outside chance of that "sleek" LM casing.
A unibody iPhone requires the elimination of the current antenna. You know, the really good one that's the best in the industry right now that works so well? Why would they do that?
Until someone explains to me why Apple would drop their industry leading antenna design in favour of the same internal antennas as Samsung and all the rest, a unibody design is simply not likely. Aluminium makes a bad antenna and internal antennas take up more space and get worse reception than the external one now in use.
I'd expect to see a curvy back on the new iPhone, it might even be made of aluminium, but a unibody design doesn't make a lot of sense unless there is some amazing new factor we just don't know about driving the design.
The new factor may be one that only you don't know about: Two words ? Liquid Metal. (1) Conducts radio signals like glass. (2) Thinner and lighter than metal, but stronger; less likely to transfer impact to glass touch screen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
I figure they'll change the case to something I'll hate, but it also won't matter because they'll make the screen bigger and I'll never buy an iPhone thereafter anyway.
To your mind larger screen means larger case. That's not necessarily true. Larger screen could mean thinner or no bezel. You gotta start thinking outside the brain.
Apple is missing a huge opportunity. Apple would probably sell ten times as many phones if a cheap plastic disposable model with a more-than-one-year-old laggy OS that will never be upgraded, lacking customer support but with ads and bloatware was available.
The 93 mil. of "premium quality" iPhones include dated iPhones 3GS and iPhones 4 with the "premium quality" antenna problem.
I hope you realize that even the most current iPhone is not made of gold either, just the same plastic and glass. The glass is very fragile though - not Gorilla glass found in other premium phones. Dated LCD technology, no AMOLED, screen size is smaller then credit card, still 512 of RAM, no NFC, no removable storage, no removable battery. It took Apple 2 years longer to give ifans dual core, 8mpx camera, multitasking, voice command (siri) and notifications.
Customer service and support? It took Apple 18 month to fix the antenna problem. Just go get a "premium quality" bumper
NOOOOooooo. Keep the iPhone 4 design, but just make it thinner. If it morphs back to the curve design, then everyone's case would look the same. With the iPhone 4, people have a choice between a bumper or full body. Right now, I love how my Vapor Pro bumper looks and I wouldn't want to change it
I hope you realize that even the most current iPhone is not made of gold either, just the same plastic and glass. The glass is very fragile though - not Gorilla glass found in other premium phones. Dated LCD technology, no AMOLED, screen size is smaller then credit card, still 512 of RAM, no NFC, no removable storage, no removable battery. It took Apple 2 years longer to give ifans dual core, 8mpx camera, multitasking, voice command (siri) and notifications.
I get extremely bored when people still complain about specs. In the end what matters to consumer is the value they get from a great user experience, not from hardware specs. Zzz...
I get extremely bored when people still complain about specs. In the end what matters to consumer is the value they get from a great user experience, not from hardware specs. Zzz...
And it gets even more convoluted when you go to different OSes. We can now take the exact same "PC" HW and run both Windows and Mac OS on it. As AnandTech has pointed out the battery lasts longer on a Mac under Mac OS than under Windows. You have to consider the resources an OS (and its apps) need to function, as well as how good the drivers are, etc. Android-based devices have had higher performance than the iPhone for most releases and yet even an older iPhone has a much more natural and fluid UI.
Comments
As pointed out above, it's not quite that simple because there are different alloys.
Their most common alloy is listed as non-magnetic and a relatively poor conductor. No mention is made of radio transparency. There have been many reports that some liquidmetal alloys are radio transparent - and that may even be true - but I haven't seen any evidence from LQMT or anyone who really knows.
I think the word alloy(s) is in reference to various ratios of the same two elements ZrTi not other completely unrelated metals. Your previous remarks that there were alloys of Platinum and Aluminum seem to me to be unfounded as I was not able to find any reference on the Internet either.
The other comment from the original co-founder, who by the way is no longer with the company, that LM could be suitable for an antenna combined with a structural frame seems to indicate that there may be a more conductive version but an argument being made by some for the entire back of the device to be constructed from LM is probably not one of the possible configurations being considered by Apple.
Thoughts?
I think the word alloy(s) is in reference to various ratios of the same two elements ZrTi not other completely unrelated metals. Your previous remarks that there were alloys of Platinum and Aluminum seem to me to be unfounded as I was not able to find any reference on the Internet either.
It's really not that hard to search. My first attempt used the keywords 'alloy liquidmetal platinum'. The fourth hit was:
http://phys.org/news200753236.html
"Some Liquidmetal alloys contain large amounts of platinum, which costs $1,500 an ounce."
*couldn't* care less.
: p
Flammable, Non-Flammable, Inflammable, Non-Inflammable...
2011 phone sales (millions)
iOS 93
Android 237
86% of Android phones are 4" or larger. So large Android phones outsold small Android and iOS phones combined close to 2:1.
Apple is missing huge opportunity. Apple would probably sell twice more phones if a large screen iPhone model would be available.
2011 phone sales (millions)
Premium quality iPhones = 93
Cheap garbage Android phones = 198
Apple is missing a huge opportunity. Apple would probably sell ten times as many phones if a cheap plastic disposable model with a more-than-one-year-old laggy OS that will never be upgraded, lacking customer support but with ads and bloatware was available.
Liquidmetal is made primarily from zirconia. It's basically a metalized glass. And Apple released a patent a while back talking about it...
"In the August 7, 2006 filing, published Thursday by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the iPod maker said zirconia -- often used to replicate diamonds for costume jewelry -- offers advantages over other materials, such as aluminum, in that it is structurally strong, stiff and radio transparent. "
I did some research and, apparently, you can create "liquid metal" transparent "glass" that is optically neutral.
If that's possible, they could use transparent LM for the front and opaque LM for the back and edges.
CZ is almost as hard and wear-resistant as a diamond... so, coupled with optical and radio properties -- there are some interesting possibilities.
And, maybe... no need for a case
Anybody notice from the photo that the mute switch is on the same side as the camera? Never on an iPhone has that been the case.
Thoughts?
The story on this is that a big screen, super thin Apple iPhone prototype slipped out of one Apple's suppliers and made it into the hands of case manufacturers. This was last year during the run up to the 2011 iPhone. It was going to have ~4.4" screen, lozenge shaped home button, vertically off-centered screen, slightly tear-dropped profile and super-thin (iPod touch thin).
Obviously didn't happen. So maybe it was a intentional leak from Apple to burn case suppliers or it was just a prototype. There were a ton of these cases floating around last year.
Actually, I think the demand is for an iPhone sized phone, not so much the screen size. If it were possible to make the screen 4" rather than 3.5" without changing the phone size by reducing the size of the borders, I think a lot of people would be happy with a larger screen.
I think Apple would gain more people than it would lose by having a larger screen, regardless if it increased the size of the phone a tad or not.
I don't think so. The iPhone 3GS outsold every single large screen android phone in 2011. If large screens were so desirable that would not happen.
2011 phone sales (millions)
iOS 93
Android 237
86% of Android phones are 4" or larger. So large Android phones outsold small Android and iOS phones combined close to 2:1.
Apple is missing huge opportunity. Apple would probably sell twice more phones if a large screen iPhone model would be available.
I think the OP meant that there isn't a hardware manufacturer out there making more phones with a >3.5" screen than Apple. You seem to count software sales (iOS/Android)
You expect people to pay $6/700 through Apple? It's just not going to happen.
Already happening around me. Possibly because people found out they are paying more if it's subsidized, while if you do the math you are paying less buying it straight from the Apple store. That WILL differ though from country to country, or better, from telco to telco.
Sometimes people get bored. So even though a new case might not effect performance, people like different things. I for one would welcome the 4 inch screen.
I wouldn't know from reading about a 4" screen online, but will know when I feel the phone in my hand. Personally I don't want a 4" screen, or more precisely, don't want a physical larger phone. I certainly hope they won't drop the 3.5" model we have now. Add a larger screen to their lineup, fine.
Already happening around me. Possibly because people found out they are paying more if it's subsidized, while if you do the math you are paying less buying it straight from the Apple store. That WILL differ though from country to country, or better, from telco to telco.
That's me. I've been using AT&T for years, but when my contract expires in June, I'm going to switch my numbers to Straight Talk - and they buy an unlocked iPhone 4S (or maybe continue using my iPhone 4 until the fall to see what the new one looks like).
I think Apple would gain more people than it would lose by having a larger screen, regardless if it increased the size of the phone a tad or not.
Maybe if the increase it 'a tad' - but only because there are few competitive phones that are the size of the current iPhone. If the increase it much, I'll believe they will start losing customers (and they apparently agree).
I did some research and, apparently, you can create "liquid metal" transparent "glass" that is optically neutral.
It's far too early in the development of such products for them to be useful for a case. The existing products are far too soft, among other things. They could use a transparent ceramic, but it's not clear how much advantage it would offer over gorilla glass. A bit more scratch resistant, but more brittle.
That's me. I've been using AT&T for years, but when my contract expires in June, I'm going to switch my numbers to Straight Talk - and they buy an unlocked iPhone 4S (or maybe continue using my iPhone 4 until the fall to see what the new one looks like).
Will you be able to have your number ported from telco to telco? We have that ability in The Netherlands, Dutch law even requires from the telco to move the subscription number over within 15 days.
Me, I move from telco to telco every 2 years. Or used to. Over here, KPN doesn't support VisualVoicemail and their 3G is spotty in the areas where I am, daily. Top it off with their ? 12,50 a month for 500MB data cap and I'll be moving back to T-Mobile network, sans contract. For some strange reason their 3G coverage is better. And they have VV, which I simply love.
Anybody notice from the photo that the mute switch is on the same side as the camera? Never on an iPhone has that been the case.
Thoughts?
I'm thinking that it is not the mute switch, but a new button specifically to activate siri; no need to go through the home button or unlock the screen, just instant siri commands. I think that would be a huge deal; if it happens it might even be the most common way to initiate an interaction with the phone, very convenient. That, and a magsafe connector are the two features I'm most hoping for in the 'new' iPhone, along with the outside chance of that "sleek" LM casing.
A unibody iPhone requires the elimination of the current antenna. You know, the really good one that's the best in the industry right now that works so well? Why would they do that?
Until someone explains to me why Apple would drop their industry leading antenna design in favour of the same internal antennas as Samsung and all the rest, a unibody design is simply not likely. Aluminium makes a bad antenna and internal antennas take up more space and get worse reception than the external one now in use.
I'd expect to see a curvy back on the new iPhone, it might even be made of aluminium, but a unibody design doesn't make a lot of sense unless there is some amazing new factor we just don't know about driving the design.
The new factor may be one that only you don't know about: Two words ? Liquid Metal. (1) Conducts radio signals like glass. (2) Thinner and lighter than metal, but stronger; less likely to transfer impact to glass touch screen.
I figure they'll change the case to something I'll hate, but it also won't matter because they'll make the screen bigger and I'll never buy an iPhone thereafter anyway.
To your mind larger screen means larger case. That's not necessarily true. Larger screen could mean thinner or no bezel. You gotta start thinking outside the brain.
2011 phone sales (millions)
Premium quality iPhones = 93
Cheap garbage Android phones = 198
Apple is missing a huge opportunity. Apple would probably sell ten times as many phones if a cheap plastic disposable model with a more-than-one-year-old laggy OS that will never be upgraded, lacking customer support but with ads and bloatware was available.
The 93 mil. of "premium quality" iPhones include dated iPhones 3GS and iPhones 4 with the "premium quality" antenna problem.
I hope you realize that even the most current iPhone is not made of gold either, just the same plastic and glass. The glass is very fragile though - not Gorilla glass found in other premium phones. Dated LCD technology, no AMOLED, screen size is smaller then credit card, still 512 of RAM, no NFC, no removable storage, no removable battery. It took Apple 2 years longer to give ifans dual core, 8mpx camera, multitasking, voice command (siri) and notifications.
Customer service and support? It took Apple 18 month to fix the antenna problem. Just go get a "premium quality" bumper
I hope you realize that even the most current iPhone is not made of gold either, just the same plastic and glass. The glass is very fragile though - not Gorilla glass found in other premium phones. Dated LCD technology, no AMOLED, screen size is smaller then credit card, still 512 of RAM, no NFC, no removable storage, no removable battery. It took Apple 2 years longer to give ifans dual core, 8mpx camera, multitasking, voice command (siri) and notifications.
I get extremely bored when people still complain about specs. In the end what matters to consumer is the value they get from a great user experience, not from hardware specs. Zzz...
I get extremely bored when people still complain about specs. In the end what matters to consumer is the value they get from a great user experience, not from hardware specs. Zzz...
And it gets even more convoluted when you go to different OSes. We can now take the exact same "PC" HW and run both Windows and Mac OS on it. As AnandTech has pointed out the battery lasts longer on a Mac under Mac OS than under Windows. You have to consider the resources an OS (and its apps) need to function, as well as how good the drivers are, etc. Android-based devices have had higher performance than the iPhone for most releases and yet even an older iPhone has a much more natural and fluid UI.
The 93 mil. of "premium quality" iPhones include dated iPhones 3GS and iPhones 4 with the "premium quality" antenna problem.
Bullshit.
just the same plastic and glass.
Bullshit.
The glass is very fragile though - not Gorilla glass found in other premium phones.
Bullshit.
Dated LCD technology,
Bullshit.
It took Apple 2 years longer to give ifans dual core
Bullshit.
8mpx camera
Bullshit.
multitasking
Bullshit
Customer service and support? It took Apple 18 month to fix the antenna problem.
Bullshit.