The Baltimore Sun has found an SEC filing that shows Apple has broadly licensed the intellectual property of California amorphous alloy maker Liquidmetal, perhaps for use in future iPhone and iPad devices. What's liquid metal?
It's a mimetic poly-alloy that can create bladed weapons--
No, sorry, that's from Terminator.
According to its Website, Liquidmetal is a "leading force in the research, development and commercialization of amorphous metals. [Its] revolutionary class of patented alloys and coatings form the basis of high performance material utilized in a range of military, consumer and industrial products manufactured by Liquidmetal Technologies."
The new metals that Liquidmetal develops offer several benefits in strength, hardness, elasticity, corrosion- and wear-resistance, and acoustical properties.
While this doesn't mean next-generation iPhone or iPad antenna could morph themselves around reception problems, it does show that Apple is continuing to push the boundaries of consumer electronic innovation.
