iPad with titanium chassis reportedly on the horizon

AppleInsider · August 20, 2021 11:35AM

Apple could introduce an iPad using a titanium chassis, a future change to the tablet line that could make it lighter and more resilient to everyday use.

Apple is thought to be working on an updated iPad that it could launch before the end of 2021. While that iPad is seemingly on the way, it is claimed that Apple is already looking to the next generation, and beyond.

The 2021 iPad will be using an aluminum-alloy chassis processed by PVD, according to a report from DigiTimes. The 9th-generation model won't have significant design changes when it's unveiled this fall, but report sources say it will help increase iPad shipments to around 60 million units for 2021.

However, the same sources tell the report that the aluminum-alloy may get replaced in a future revision of the iPad. It is claimed the company is looking to introducing a titanium-based metal chassis to the device.

While doing so can offer many benefits to the product line, such as enabling thinner and lighter designs while maintaining structural integrity, Apple hasn't gone down that route. It is thought that the high cost of production makes the idea an uneconomical one for the iPad lineup at its current price point.

The iPad reports follow analyst claims from July that Apple will use a titanium alloy chassis or internal frame in the "Pro" models of the "iPhone 14."

DigiTimes is a reliable source of data from within Apple's supply chain, but is less accurate as it pertains to Apple's specific plans. This part of Friday's report is more the former, than the latter.

Read on AppleInsider

patchythepirate · August 20, 2021 4:05PM

It makes sense that a sturdier material will be needed if they move to a glass back as rumored. Hopefully they can also make them thinner. It's such a cool experience to have something so functional in such small and thin package, and it's something only apple can really pull off.

radarthekat · August 20, 2021 4:09PM

I’d vote not to employ a strategic metal in a consumer product. Unless someone has recently found a rich supply of Titanium ore somewhere in a friendly country.

charlesatlas · August 20, 2021 5:20PM

radarthekat said:

I’d vote not to employ a strategic metal in a consumer product. Unless someone has recently found a rich supply of Titanium ore somewhere in a friendly country.

Titanium is quite abundant and easy to find. It's just difficult and expensive to refine. Don't forget, Apple has already used titanium in the past, namely the Powerbook G4 Titanium twenty years ago.

tht · August 20, 2021 9:17PM

This is one far out rumor. As others have said, why would Apple use a material that it uses as a premium feature in the Watch in a bottom end $300 iPad?

From the headlines, I thought the titanium was going to be for an iPad Pro, which makes some sense. Lo and behold, article is about the low end iPad. So, you can probably chalk this one as a supply chain rumor where leakers do not understand what Apple is contracting.

netrox · August 20, 2021 9:53PM

radarthekat said:

I’d vote not to employ a strategic metal in a consumer product. Unless someone has recently found a rich supply of Titanium ore somewhere in a friendly country.

Actually, titanium is everywhere, in every living organism and soil.

It's just that it comes in small amounts and it's hard to extract titanium which is the reason for the high cost, not the metal itself.

radarthekat · August 20, 2021 10:46PM

netrox said:

radarthekat said:

I’d vote not to employ a strategic metal in a consumer product. Unless someone has recently found a rich supply of Titanium ore somewhere in a friendly country.

Actually, titanium is everywhere, in every living organism and soil.

It's just that it comes in small amounts and it's hard to extract titanium which is the reason for the high cost, not the metal itself.

While it’s the ninth most abundant element in the earth’s crust, it’s used in military applications (thus the strategic metal part of the equation), and it’s produced predominately in six countries, with China and a Russia being the top two. That’s the reason I feel it should be conserved.

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/top-titanium-producing-countries.html

patchythepirate · August 21, 2021 3:26AM

netrox said:

radarthekat said:

I’d vote not to employ a strategic metal in a consumer product. Unless someone has recently found a rich supply of Titanium ore somewhere in a friendly country.

Actually, titanium is everywhere, in every living organism and soil.

It's just that it comes in small amounts and it's hard to extract titanium which is the reason for the high cost, not the metal itself.

Are you saying I’m made of titanium?? No wonder I’m so strong and good looking.

firelock · August 21, 2021 4:50AM

I remember when Apple used titanium in the PowerBook G4, or as people called it, the “TiBook”. I remember I was excited to buy it, but it flexed badly and scratched easily. If you held the laptop by one end, it would actually bend because the metal was so flexible. I also heard that its thermal properties were not great. When Apple went to anodized aluminum for its laptops I thought it was a huge improvement over the titanium models.

blastdoor · August 21, 2021 1:29PM

charlesatlas said:

radarthekat said:

I’d vote not to employ a strategic metal in a consumer product. Unless someone has recently found a rich supply of Titanium ore somewhere in a friendly country.

Titanium is quite abundant and easy to find. It's just difficult and expensive to refine. Don't forget, Apple has already used titanium in the past, namely the Powerbook G4 Titanium twenty years ago.

Also, bicycles

blastdoor · August 21, 2021 1:29PM

I wonder if it would make sense for a larger screen iPad like say 16 inches.

blastdoor · August 21, 2021 1:31PM

radarthekat said:

netrox said:

radarthekat said:

I’d vote not to employ a strategic metal in a consumer product. Unless someone has recently found a rich supply of Titanium ore somewhere in a friendly country.

Actually, titanium is everywhere, in every living organism and soil.

It's just that it comes in small amounts and it's hard to extract titanium which is the reason for the high cost, not the metal itself.

While it’s the ninth most abundant element in the earth’s crust, it’s used in military applications (thus the strategic metal part of the equation), and it’s produced predominately in six countries, with China and a Russia being the top two. That’s the reason I feel it should be conserved.

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/top-titanium-producing-countries.html

Yes, but it could be produced elsewhere. It is simply a matter of the price, and whether it is worth it. Heck, if you are worried about strategic issues, then you should want more produced in the United States. And increasing demand would create a greater incentive to produce more in the United States.

jmsrbs · August 21, 2021 8:59PM

Any chance this is the long-awaited major implementation of liquidmetal? I believe that contains titanium.

blastdoor · August 22, 2021 12:55PM

jmsrbs said:

Any chance this is the long-awaited major implementation of liquidmetal? I believe that contains titanium.

I forgot all about that!

radarthekat · August 22, 2021 2:37PM

blastdoor said:

radarthekat said:

netrox said:

radarthekat said:

I’d vote not to employ a strategic metal in a consumer product. Unless someone has recently found a rich supply of Titanium ore somewhere in a friendly country.

Actually, titanium is everywhere, in every living organism and soil.

It's just that it comes in small amounts and it's hard to extract titanium which is the reason for the high cost, not the metal itself.

While it’s the ninth most abundant element in the earth’s crust, it’s used in military applications (thus the strategic metal part of the equation), and it’s produced predominately in six countries, with China and a Russia being the top two. That’s the reason I feel it should be conserved.

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/top-titanium-producing-countries.html

Yes, but it could be produced elsewhere. It is simply a matter of the price, and whether it is worth it. Heck, if you are worried about strategic issues, then you should want more produced in the United States. And increasing demand would create a greater incentive to produce more in the United States.

I think US environmental regulations holds back the mining of several strategic metals and minerals. And I’d guess Apple would be somewhat sensitive to the environmental footprint of such. Titanium is probably overkill for an iPad case material. At least pure titanium. I had a small piece when I was in the Air Force, given to me by a friend in the sheet metal shop a few buildings down from the Avionics lab where I worked. It was about the size and thickness of a dog tag, but I couldn’t bend it with any amount of force or leverage I could apply. Super tough stuff. Which leads me to think any case Apple used in the PowerBook must have been an alloy. Pure titanium would have been difficult to work with and overkill.

mpantone · August 22, 2021 3:15PM

C'mon titanium isn't that rare. It has been used in consumer sports equipment FOR DECADES.

However this rumor is fairly dubious because Apple has a strong inclination to using recyclable materials and aluminum is far easier/cheaper to recycle than titanium (process, energy needed, and cost).

It's not like the iPad is super fragile anyhow. I've owned various models since the iPad 2 and none of them showed any glaring weakness in construction.

danox · August 23, 2021 3:46AM

blastdoor said:

jmsrbs said:

Any chance this is the long-awaited major implementation of liquidmetal? I believe that contains titanium.

I forgot all about that!

I own shares in that company (LQMT), a long shot penny stock just for fun.

iPad with titanium chassis reportedly on the horizon

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