When will Apple start incorporating Liquid Metal into their electronics?

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
I know they already use it in the Sim Card Tool. That's not my point..



When will Liquid Metal Technology actually make it "into" the consumer electronic devices?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 4
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,486moderator
    I reckon the next iPad anyway so that it's a bit lighter, even though the metal back doesn't account for a huge amount of the weight. Possibly the unibody laptops so that the manufacturing is cheaper and they can bring the prices down a bit. I remember when they switched from plastic to unibody, the prices jumped $100-200.



    Getting a $599 Mini again would be nice. $499 would be too much to hope for. Cheaper MBA machines too. Lighter Mac Pros, thinner iMacs and both cheaper etc.



    The only concern I have about liquid metal is the colour. I've grown very fond of the shade and style of metal they use currently. Since we'd get lighter, cheaper devices, I'd expect Apple will want to see the return on their investment soon.



    The liquid metal sim tool seems to be a darker shade:



    http://www.iphonehacks.com/images/10...al_SIM_Pin.jpg



    I don't know if the menu bar change on Apple's site is significant. It used to be a light grey similar to the colour of the metal they use in the machines and now it's a darker shade like the liquid metal sim tool. I know that's reading into it a bit much though.
  • Reply 2 of 4
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Marvin View Post


    I reckon the next iPad anyway so that it's a bit lighter, even though the metal back doesn't account for a huge amount of the weight. Possibly the unibody laptops so that the manufacturing is cheaper and they can bring the prices down a bit. I remember when they switched from plastic to unibody, the prices jumped $100-200.



    Getting a $599 Mini again would be nice. $499 would be too much to hope for. Cheaper MBA machines too. Lighter Mac Pros, thinner iMacs and both cheaper etc.



    The only concern I have about liquid metal is the colour. I've grown very fond of the shade and style of metal they use currently. Since we'd get lighter, cheaper devices, I'd expect Apple will want to see the return on their investment soon.



    The liquid metal sim tool seems to be a darker shade:



    http://www.iphonehacks.com/images/10...al_SIM_Pin.jpg



    I don't know if the menu bar change on Apple's site is significant. It used to be a light grey similar to the colour of the metal they use in the machines and now it's a darker shade like the liquid metal sim tool. I know that's reading into it a bit much though.



    actually marvin, I think you might be right. probably not liquid metal, but they definitely changed the color of the menu bar for a reason. Most of apple's pictures of their products have its screen on safari with apple's homepage. there MUST be a reason why its darker, and I think its highly possible that its because of the upcoming redesign.
  • Reply 3 of 4
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by blueeddie View Post


    actually marvin, I think you might be right. probably not liquid metal, but they definitely changed the color of the menu bar for a reason. Most of apple's pictures of their products have its screen on safari with apple's homepage. there MUST be a reason why its darker, and I think its highly possible that its because of the upcoming redesign.



    Apple.com is just catching up to Apple design standards or 'dark aluminum design motif'. gone is white. in is glass an aluminium.

    Look closely at the background of apple.com front page. it is textured to aluminum and scrolls w the page.

    The menu bar is no longer aqua goo, it is shiny glass.

    Like the products they've been releasing for a while (iPhone 4, iPad, Macbookpro, imac, and even air and mini and remote!). Maybe the Pro will get a shiny black apple decal?



    real question is where will Ive's reductionism take us next? From translucent blue and white to angled aluminium and glass, to an amorphous silver shatterproof unibody ?
  • Reply 4 of 4
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by waytogobuddy View Post


    real question is where will Ive's reductionism take us next? From translucent blue and white to angled aluminium and glass, to an amorphous silver shatterproof unibody ?



    Looks great, but it requires palladium, an element in short supply and thus not really conducive to global scale production. It is already in high demand as a catalyst for catalytic converters.
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