Apple Hiring Liquidmetal Engineers

[Paul Daniel Ash]

Apple is looking for an amorphous metal development manager and two metal process development engineers, in an indication that a future Apple product - possibly the next generation iPhone - will be made of Liquidmetal, a new light, moldable, and durable alloy that Apple bought exclusive rights to last month. The job listings say that the candidates' roles will be "highly visible," suggesting that the alloy will be used in one of the company's marquee products.

Last month, Apple closed a licensing deal with Liquidmetal Technologies, which had developed a process for making a material with twice the strength of titanium but moldable like plastic, by cooling molten metal quickly to prevent the creation of crystalline structures. The alloy can be molded into complex shapes when bent or twisted without any weak spots, is anti-corrosive, scratch-resistant, extremely durable and thus ideal for small, strong, light devices. It can even be etched with indelible holograms, or patterns that generate colors in reflected light. The little SIM ejector key in the iPhone 3G was reportedly made of it, and the metallic glass alloy is used in products like Vertu cell phones and SanDisk flash drives.

According to three job postings, Apple is looking for an Amorphous Metal Development Manager, Metal Process Development Engineer, and Amorphous Metal Development Engineer. The listings say that all the new staff will have a “highly visible role,” and will be responsible for "developing amorphous alloy composition, molding and forming processes, and secondary operations (e.g. machining, grinding, finishing) as applicable to Apple requirements.”

Source: AppleInsider

[EddieLeonard]

this sounds good i still think apple would make one kick *** camera. i mean think about it. tap to focus/tap to zoom, 14 mega pixels, led flash, 1080p video record. they could even put the ipod app in it too. i would buy one. anyone else?

[tremerone]

They should probably hire some antenna geeks first!

[ghaffar23]

If they released a camera, they wouldn't make it *that* nice...otherwise, they'd have nothing to upgrade. Take a look at iPhone 4...how long did it take to get a 5MP camera with only LED flash again? Video calls....WOOOOW! That's from 2003 or 2004, IIRC with Nokia and a couple other vendors?

Other thing is about the reception, YEAH, they need to hire some engineers to work on that antenna issue because my iPhone 4 is still busted. I let the wife use it and I am rockin' the iPhone 2G.

[sh33436]

They should probably hire some antenna geeks first!

haha lol..
but yea i would like were this goes.

[MindGem]

I don't want to bend my iPhone! I will kill Steve if he does it.

[stlcaddie]

Is that because the reception problem OR did the wife just take the better phone and left you with the peice of S$it. Cause that's what women do. LOL

If they released a camera, they wouldn't make it *that* nice...otherwise, they'd have nothing to upgrade. Take a look at iPhone 4...how long did it take to get a 5MP camera with only LED flash again? Video calls....WOOOOW! That's from 2003 or 2004, IIRC with Nokia and a couple other vendors?

Other thing is about the reception, YEAH, they need to hire some engineers to work on that antenna issue because my iPhone 4 is still busted. I let the wife use it and I am rockin' the iPhone 2G.

[Kil0111]

lol @ stlcaddie

[Poseidon79]

They should probably hire some antenna geeks first!

The already fired their head of iPhone product development and put up job postings for antenna engineers within weeks of all the bad press over the issue.

[Kil0111]

so even though its durable and molds easily..it has a form of plastic in it...as retarted as i sound, wouldnt that prevent good reception?

[Poseidon79]

I'm sure they'd test reception capabilities before they made a production model... *things about it*... well maybe not.

[Jahooba]

I know there's a copper shield in the iPod Touch 4th gen that makes up a good percentage of it's weight. Perhaps they'll replace that with this wondermetal?

[Rob2G]

I would be nice to have the iPhone 4 back made of this. That glass is horrible I have had to replace my rear glass twice. I finally just bought a white plastic rear housing from hong kong. It's just as nice as the glass but much more durable.

[ChrisRC1985]

ohh what a wonderful thing technology can be.

[Stryker1]

I guess the antenna problem is problematic with a small group of people as shown by statistics posted here awhile back. iPhone 4 has had very few returns and rates better than 3GS. Personally, the iphone 4 has given me only couple or so dropped calls in last 3 months but if it were my 3G, lots more than that. Yeah, it would be nice to see a high res camera on the iPhone 5 with 1080p video camera and this liquid metal alloy. Lets hope they get this done for the next release.

Stryker1

[editwizard]

Oh good. By the headline I was afraid Apple was hiring T1000's for engineers... which would then set about taking over the world.

[robertr1]

Oh good. By the headline I was afraid Apple was hiring T1000's for engineers... which would then set about taking over the world.

Apple will be skynet one of these days... The iT-1000 will be in production in 2018.

[cocoabean772]

this sounds good i still think apple would make one kick *** camera. i mean think about it. tap to focus/tap to zoom, 14 mega pixels, led flash, 1080p video record. they could even put the ipod app in it too. i would buy one. anyone else?

Knowing apple it would be about 1 in a half behind so specs would be 8MP 720i and would run about 1-2K for 1

[M4tt Dam0n]

If they released a camera, they wouldn't make it *that* nice...otherwise, they'd have nothing to upgrade. Take a look at iPhone 4...how long did it take to get a 5MP camera with only LED flash again? Video calls....WOOOOW! That's from 2003 or 2004, IIRC with Nokia and a couple other vendors?

Other thing is about the reception, YEAH, they need to hire some engineers to work on that antenna issue because my iPhone 4 is still busted. I let the wife use it and I am rockin' the iPhone 2G.

You complain about old technology, yet you are using an iPhone 2G with no video recording, crap camera, no 3g, low res screen etc...

[ipodtouchman77]

This would be awesome cuz I HATE how easily the back of my iPod gets scratched so easily