aluminum

Apple buys first batch of carbon-free aluminum

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Apple buys first batch of carbon-free aluminum
Coming soon to a device near you.
Photo: Apple

Apple has bought its first ever commercial batch of carbon-free aluminum for use in its products.

It’s the result of a $144 million collaboration between Apple, the governments of Canada and Quebec, and Alcoa Corp and Rio Tinto, two of the world’s biggest aluminum suppliers. Elysis is the name of the new venture. Hopefully its products will be coming soon to an Apple device near you.

Trump’s aluminum tariffs could drive up Mac and iPhone prices

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macOS high sierra
Anyone who taxes aluminum is no friend of Jony Ive's, you'd imagine!
Photo: Apple

President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on imported aluminum and steel could hit Apple, which is a big user of both, where it hurts.

And if it’s anything like other times that Apple has been slapped with increased import duties, that could translate to increased prices for customers.

Watch what happens when an iPhone drowns in molten aluminum

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This isn't your normal stress test.
This isn't your normal stress test.
Photo: The Backyard Scientist

Apple’s iPhone empire has been made possible thanks to the magic of aluminum. But under certain circumstances, Jony Ive’s favorite metal can be the iPhone’s worst enemy.

The folks behind the YouTube channel Backyard Scientists decided to see what happens when you dunk the iPhone in molten aluminum. Seeing the iPhone get a Terminator 2 type of death is oddly beautiful.

Check it out:

Why a ceramic iPhone 8 might be the ultimate iPhone

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Apple Watch Edition
iPhone 8 could look this good.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s switch to ceramic for Apple Watch Edition could mean big things for iPhone 8. Being four times harder than stainless steel and a darn sight prettier, ceramic would be an ideal material for the next generation of iPhone unibodies.

Recent rumors have promised Apple will deliver a major redesign next year to celebrate the iPhone’s 10th anniversary, and what better way to do that than with a new material that’s better than anything Apple’s used before?

Apple may ditch aluminum for all-glass iPhone casing next year

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iPhone 6 Plus
We may be waving goodbye to Jony Ive's love affair with aluminum.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Jony Ive’s beloved aluminum casing is as about as iconic a part of the iPhone as the Apple logo or a working OS. Despite that, a new report claims that the company will ditch its aluminum look for an all-glass enclosure for next year’s iPhone 7s.

Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo revealed this tidbit over the weekend in a note to clients, which also reiterated the view that the 2017-era iPhone will sport an OLED display.

People are bending iPhone 6 Plus display units in Apple Stores

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Bending an iPhone 6 Plus at the Apple Store is a stupid idea. Screenshot: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Bending an iPhone 6 Plus at the Apple Store is a stupid idea. Screenshot: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple insists “bendgate” isn’t an issue after receiving just 9 complaints about bent iPhones as of last week, and the vast majority seem to agree. But will the Cupertino company think differently when it discovers that people are walking into its retail stores and bending the iPhone 6 Plus units it has on display?

Absurdly Competent iPad Mini Case Includes Aluminum Bumper, Leather Book Cover, Kickstand

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Most iPad cases we see are rehashes of the same old Smart Cover or Folio designs, but the Case 66 is a genuinely clever new design. It’s an aluminum bumper mixed with a kickstand mixed with a beautiful cloth-lined leather case. Somehow, it manages to fit all of these features in whilst still looking great, and it only costs $50. What?

Belkin Explodes Off The Block With Thirteen New iPad Air Accessories

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Belkin's gorgeous alloy Qode Thin Tyoe Keyboard Case.

 

The ring of Tim Cook’s softened Southern twang hasn’t yet left our ears, and yet Belkin has already announced, not one, but practically a whole wall at the Apple Store full of iPad Air cases and keyboards.

Of the ten cases and three keyboard cases announced by Belkin after today’s event, the most interesting is the minimalist Qode (perhaps a Star Wars character?) Thin Type Keyboard Case — one of Belkin’s excellent keyboards wrapped in aluminum and equipped with a hinge that lets it double as a cover for the screen. For a little more protection, there’s the Qode (Peruvian dessert?) Ultimate Keyboard Case, which adds a protective aluminum backing around the iPad Air.

New Video Shows Off iPad 5’s Slightly Smaller Smart Cover

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iPad-Smart-Cover

With the fifth-generation iPad set to feature a new design based on the smaller, sleeker iPad mini, Apple’s existing lineup of iPad Smart Covers aren’t going to fit it. But fear not, Smart Cover fans — Apple is already working on new models that will fit the iPad 5’s smaller chassis. Check them out in the hands-on video below.

Drop Test Proves Galaxy S4’s ‘Durable’ Plastic Is No Match For iPhone 5’s Aluminum [Video]

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Samsung has had to defend the Galaxy S4’s plastic form factor quite a bit since the device was announced back in March, and one of the ways it has done that is by touting the handsets durability. Plastic, Samsung claims, makes the device much more robust than competing smartphones because it bends and absorbs impact.

But as we suspected all along, aluminum is stronger. In a smartphone torture test performed by warranty provider SquareTrade, the Galaxy S4 fails to beat the iPhone 5 in drop tests, and even proved to be more fragile than its predecessor, the Galaxy S III.

Elegant Mika iPad Stand Looks Like a Miniature iMac Foot

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My huge 27-inch iMac is currently hanging on the wall thanks to a VESA mount and adapter, which means I’m intimately familiar with the heavy aluminum leg that used to hold it up. I have been looking for something to do with it other than using it to gather up dust under my bed, and now I think I have it: An oversized iPad stand.

Or I could just give Bluelounge $40 for the Mika, a “Universal” stand for anything vaguely tablet-sized.

iPhone 5S To Arrive In June In 6-8 Colors With NFC, ‘Super HD’ Camera [Analyst]

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The iPod touch is a much better idea than creating cheap iPhone models.
Will the iPhone 5S be just as colorful as the new iPod touch?

Those analysts are some crazy cats. When you’re having a drab day, you can always count on one of them to pull something spectacular out of the bag. Jefferies analyst Peter Misek has done exactly that today when he unveiled his predictions for Apple’s iPhone 5S.

The handset will arrive in June, Misek believes, just nine months after the iPhone 5 made its debut, and it’ll boast NFC connectivity and a “super HD” camera. It’ll also come in 6-8 colors, apparently.

I laughed at Misek’s predictions when I first read them, but could he be right?

iPad Mini Shipments Stumbling Due To Low Yield Rates Of Aluminum Chassis [Rumor]

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Suppliers just can't make the iPad mini's rear shell fast enough, apparently.
Suppliers just can't make the iPad mini's rear shell fast enough, apparently.

Apple’s much-anticipated iPad mini is expected to make its debut in mid-October, but it may be a little more difficult to get hold of than other iOS devices. According to sources in the Cupertino company’s Taiwanese supply chain, iPad mini shipments are already stumbling due to the low yield rates of the tablet’s aluminum chassis.