Liquidmetal announces it is now shipping commercial parts to unnamed customers

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014


Apple partner Liquidmetal Technologies, maker of a unique metal alloy, announced on Wednesday it has begun shipping commercial parts to "several" customers, but declined to name any specifically.



Liquidmetal revealed that delivery parts actually began to customers in December. But the company announced on Wednesday that its manufacturing operations are now shipping parts to a number of worldwide customers, and shipments are expected to continue into the months ahead.



"We are very excited about the use of amorphous metal alloy technology to deliver stronger, lighter and more corrosion resistant pats to our customers in varying industries globally," Liquidmetal President and CEO Tom Steipp said. "These initial shipments represent a significant milestone in our efforts to provide a new class of materials for our customers to consider when designing complex parts."



Whether it's simply a coincidence or not, the timing of the announcement on Wednesday is interesting because it comes just a few hours before Apple is expected to show off its third-generation iPad. In 2010, Apple purchased the exclusive rights to utilize the company's amorphous metal alloys in consumer electronics.



Liquidmetal revealed to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in 2010 that it had granted all of its intellectual property assets to Apple, giving the company "a perpetual, worldwide, fully-paid, exclusive license to commercial such intellectual property in the field of electronic products in exchange for a license fee."







Though its arrangement with Apple is exclusive for electronic products, Liquidmetal can still license its metal alloy to other companies for use in markets where Apple does not compete. It has previously inked deals with defense contractors, sports equipment manufacturers and medical suppliers.



In September of 2010, AppleInsider was first to discover that Apple was looking to hire a number of experts on amorphous metal alloys to build products out of Liquidmetal's technology. The first product Apple created out of Liquidmetal's material was an iPhone SIM card ejector tool, but since then there has been no indication that any other products have been crafted from the Liquidmetal alloy.



[ View article on AppleInsider ]

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 72
    tipootipoo Posts: 1,141member
    Iiinteresting. The more interesting thing about liquidmetal than cases (sansa used that in the past for cases btw, the parts made of LM were pretty indestructible) is using it for thinner battery insulation, resulting in more space for the cells or space/weight savings.
  • Reply 2 of 72
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    I can't wait for the iPad T-1000 model.
  • Reply 3 of 72
    sasparillasasparilla Posts: 121member
    I love the fact that with nearly any other company Liquidmetal would be able to say who it was, so we pretty much know who it was since they won't reveal the name.
  • Reply 4 of 72
    starnycstarnyc Posts: 24member
    that video blew my mind, what? SIM ejector, who? self winding iPhone/iPad/iPod?
  • Reply 5 of 72
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tipoo View Post


    Iiinteresting. The more interesting thing about liquidmetal than cases (sansa used that in the past for cases btw, the parts made of LM were pretty indestructible) is using it for thinner battery insulation, resulting in more space for the cells or space/weight savings.



    I wouldn't be surprised if that is the application in the iPad HD. Seems a little too coincidental with the event today, though I guess they could just be using this event to get some extra press.
  • Reply 6 of 72
    freshmakerfreshmaker Posts: 532member
    To buy LQMT stock or not...hmm. Already up 20% today.
  • Reply 7 of 72
    I'm not sure if I want my ipad to bounce that many times
  • Reply 8 of 72
    sevenfeetsevenfeet Posts: 465member
    The timing is certainly curious. Apple has an exclusive on this technology in the CE space.
  • Reply 9 of 72
    801801 Posts: 271member
    As a thought experiment, after seeing that video, imagine a MacBook pro with a case made of this. Now what would happen if you dropped it?
  • Reply 10 of 72
    jkichlinejkichline Posts: 1,369member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by 801 View Post


    As a thought experiment, after seeing that video, imagine a MacBook pro with a case made of this. Now what would happen if you dropped it?



    If I had a Macbook Pro made out of that I would constantly be dropping steel balls on it and watching in amazement.
  • Reply 11 of 72
    prof. peabodyprof. peabody Posts: 2,860member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    ... there has been no indication that any other products have been crafted from the Liquidmetal alloy. ...



    Apple has a patent for using Liquid Metal in contacts for batteries which makes them more efficient than the same battery without it by 10-20% I believe.



    They also have a patent for a process of spraying liquid metal onto circuit boards that has to do with heat dissipation.



    It could be that they are using Liquid Metal to get enough juice out of the battery to offset the needs of the new screen and LTE.
  • Reply 12 of 72
    applegreenapplegreen Posts: 421member
    Apple Store down. New iPads today?
  • Reply 13 of 72
    freshmakerfreshmaker Posts: 532member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Freshmaker View Post


    To buy LQMT stock or not...hmm. Already up 20% today.



    Bought some at .20 - already at .22!
  • Reply 14 of 72
    galbigalbi Posts: 968member
    Samsung has been using Liquid metals products before Apple ever got a hold of them.
  • Reply 15 of 72
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Galbi View Post


    Samsung has been using Liquid metals products before Apple ever got a hold of them.



    Who gives a frick? Doesn't matter anymore.



    Quote:

    Apple purchased the exclusive rights to utilize the company's amorphous metal alloys



  • Reply 16 of 72
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Galbi View Post


    Samsung has been using Liquid metals products before Apple ever got a hold of them.



    "Apple sucks!

    Samsung Rules!
    "
  • Reply 17 of 72
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Galbi View Post


    Samsung has been using Liquid metals products before Apple ever got a hold of them.



    Fuck Samsung.



    The pathetic stuff that they showed off last week at that mobile conference sucked. Talk about a non-update with no new features to talk about in their new tablets.



    That whole mobile conference sucked. A bunch of third rate Android manufactures showing off a bunch of crappy phones and tablets. A new Android tablet or new phone is about as exciting and rare as taking a dump.
  • Reply 18 of 72
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Freshmaker View Post


    To buy LQMT stock or not...hmm. Already up 20% today.



    This is huge news.



    I'm in at much higher levels. I bought quite a while ago (I think about two years ago, without checking my portfolio), and this is the only solid - no pun intended - news to come out of the company since I've owned the stock.



    Where $LQMT goes from here, I have no idea, but today I am encouraged.
  • Reply 19 of 72
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    Who gives a frick? Doesn't matter anymore.



    Did it ever matter? It's unlikely that Apple will beat Samsung to market with a new feature licensed from a 3rd-party. Samsung throws everything at a wall and looks for what sticks while Apple will plan for years and then release a finished product across an entire line. I do think it likely Apple was experimenting with LiquidMetal in their labs before Samsung even cared about it.
  • Reply 20 of 72
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Freshmaker View Post


    Bought some at .20 - already at .22!



    I bought a fair bit LQMT on its last round of Apple-related news, many many months ago.



    It has been nothing but a bag of hurt since....... let's hope something's finally afoot.\



    Add: I see that cherrypop kept me company!
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