Apple Job Listing for Plastics Design Engineer Hints at Innovative Designs for Future Products

MacRumors · Jan 30, 2013, 04:04 PM

Apple today posted a new job listing for a Manufacturing Design Engineer with a focus on Advanced Plastic Tooling and Process. According to the job description, Apple is looking to expand and improve its current plastics division.

Quote:

Identify, develop and launch new tooling and process capabilities in support of new Apple product developments. Areas of focus will be "non-traditional" Apple plastic processing such as thermoforming, foam molding, blow molding, etc., and their application to new Apple products. The successful candidate will have demonstrated history of bringing new process and tooling technologies through a full development cycle and launch into high volume production.

Though Apple has focused heavily on aluminum for the iPad, the iPhone, and the MacBook line for the past few years, the Cupertino-based company has continued to prominently use plastics in such products as the Apple TV, the AirPort Extreme, keyboards, and other accessories.

Recent rumors have suggested that Apple is working on a low cost iPhone that will be constructed primarily of plastic. The iPhone is said to be a hybrid of the iPhone 5 and the iPod touch, with a plastic enclosure.

A new hire specializing in plastics is unlikely to be involved in the design of the low cost iPhone, given that it is rumored to be released later this year, but the open position does support reports that Apple is focusing on novel uses of plastics for upcoming products.

Article Link: Apple Job Listing for Plastics Design Engineer Hints at Innovative Designs for Future Products

Dwalls90 · Jan 30, 2013, 04:05 PM

China + Plastic = iPhone Mini?

Or, since TELEVISIONS tend to have lots of plastic in them

rmwebs · Jan 30, 2013, 04:08 PM

I still think that whilst the iPhone 5 is a sexy phone, it'd be nicer with the glossy plastic back of the 3/3s. Nothing wrong with plastic.

NutsNGum · Jan 30, 2013, 04:08 PM

Plastic <3

Schmitty11 · Jan 30, 2013, 04:09 PM

One step forward, two steps back...

jav6454 · Jan 30, 2013, 04:09 PM

Plastic? They've learned....

Krazy Bill · Jan 30, 2013, 04:10 PM

I dunno folks... I look at my 4S and marvel at the precision machine engineering that went into the thing.

Plastic meh. Give me rubber... something that bounces on concrete.

charliex5 · Jan 30, 2013, 04:12 PM

Mmmmm.... I loved the form factor of the 3G/3GS. So comfortable. Lots of nostalgia looking at that old design.

knucklehead · Jan 30, 2013, 04:12 PM

This has been know for decades:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSxihhBzCjk

TouchMint.com · Jan 30, 2013, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krazy Bill

I dunno folks... I look at my 4S and marvel at the precision machine engineering that went into the thing.

Plastic meh. Give me rubber... something that bounces on concrete.

+1 Rubber

mrsir2009 · Jan 30, 2013, 04:13 PM

But Apple would NEVER (again) use cheap, crappy plastic, would they? This would never have happened (even tho it did with the 3GS) if Jobs was still around.

Battlefield Fan · Jan 30, 2013, 04:13 PM

I think that's what made the iPhone 4 design so great. It was a big step up in terms of metals and glass over the plastic used in the 3G and 3GS. I realize some wireless products need certain plastics to propagate signals but why step backwards if this is true?

mrsir2009 · Jan 30, 2013, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TouchMint.com

+1 Rubber

Like a case built in

Small White Car · Jan 30, 2013, 04:15 PM

Or the guy that works on the Magic Mouse just quit and they're replacing him.

I'm sorry, but I hate the "a job posting means a new direction for Apple products" stories.

Unggoy Murderer · Jan 30, 2013, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jav6454

Plastic? They've learned....

Image

Didn't know Aluminium was magnetic...

*le trollface

dojoman · Jan 30, 2013, 04:17 PM

Plastic from 3G/3GS is much better quality than Galaxy S3 back plactic. Just sayin'.
I cringed every time I pulled off the GS3 back cover. It sounded cheap and felt cheap.

blackhand1001 · Jan 30, 2013, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Small White Car

Or the guy that works on the Magic Mouse just quit and they're replacing him.

I'm sorry, but I hate the "a job posting means a new direction for Apple products" stories.

hopefully they fired that guy. Whoever designed that mouse deserves to be fired. If you want a proper slim mouse the arc touch mouse was a way better design and wasn't a carpal tunnel magnet. The arc touch is very comfortable to hold. Much more so than it looks.

gkarris · Jan 30, 2013, 04:18 PM

These phones make for cheap unlocked phones directly from Apple, as it is illegal for users to unlock smartphones in the US. $299 to start?

People here are looking forward to AT&T unlocking their iPhones when their contract is up - little do they know the carrier is no longer obligated to do so...

MasterHowl · Jan 30, 2013, 04:19 PM

I don't think you can beat the aluminium + glass combo

Dagless · Jan 30, 2013, 04:19 PM

Innovative plastic designs?
Well I guess you had to put something there now that "magical" is used up.

Blackwell · Jan 30, 2013, 04:20 PM

Carbon Fiber

Skika · Jan 30, 2013, 04:22 PM

Quote:

plastic

N-no t-thanks!

dexx0008 · Jan 30, 2013, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MasterHowl

I don't think you can beat the aluminium + glass combo

stainless steel/glass

Mr. Retrofire · Jan 30, 2013, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dwalls90

China + Plastic = iPhone Mini?

Or, since TELEVISIONS tend to have lots of plastic in them

Some plastics like Teflon, Polyamide 6.6 or Polycarbonate are very robust. In some cases more robust than aluminum.

Future WLAN standards need up to 8 antennas (802.11ac, up to ≈ 7 GBit/s), or use very high frequencies (802.11ad, 60 GHz). That means Apple needs more antennas in iDevices and a material which does not block the 5 GHz or 60 GHz frequencies.

Nebrie · Jan 30, 2013, 04:24 PM

Presenting the Blue Dalmation and Flower Power iPhone.

Jan 30, 2013, 04:05 PM	#2
Dwalls90 macrumors 68040 Join Date: Feb 2009	China + Plastic = iPhone Mini? Or, since TELEVISIONS tend to have lots of plastic in them __________________ MacBook Pro 2820QM + iPhone 5 + iPad 3 Jailbreaking An iOS Device - iOS Themes
	13

Jan 30, 2013, 04:08 PM	#3
rmwebs macrumors 68030 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: North London, England	<insert smarmy comment about how Apple would never use Plastic as it's cheap> I still think that whilst the iPhone 5 is a sexy phone, it'd be nicer with the glossy plastic back of the 3/3s. Nothing wrong with plastic. __________________ Walt Disney World Guide
	15

Jan 30, 2013, 04:09 PM	#6
jav6454 macrumors G5 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: 1 Geostationary Tower Plaza	Plastic? They've learned.... __________________ Al MacBook 2.4GHz Late '08 \| Macross Click Me
	57

Jan 30, 2013, 04:10 PM	#7
Krazy Bill macrumors 68000 Join Date: Dec 2011	I dunno folks... I look at my 4S and marvel at the precision machine engineering that went into the thing. Plastic meh. Give me rubber... something that bounces on concrete. __________________ We are the iBorg. All your OS X are belong to us.
	16

Jan 30, 2013, 04:13 PM	#11
mrsir2009 macrumors 604 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Wellington, New Zealand	But Apple would NEVER (again) use cheap, crappy plastic, would they? This would never have happened (even tho it did with the 3GS) if Jobs was still around. __________________ How to Prevent your Mac from Overheating
	13

Jan 30, 2013, 04:08 PM	#4
NutsNGum macrumors 68030 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Glasgow, Scotland	Plastic <3
	2

Jan 30, 2013, 04:09 PM	#5
Schmitty11 macrumors 6502 Join Date: May 2011	One step forward, two steps back...
	7

Jan 30, 2013, 04:12 PM	#8
charliex5 macrumors regular Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Seattle, WA	Mmmmm.... I loved the form factor of the 3G/3GS. So comfortable. Lots of nostalgia looking at that old design.
	10

Jan 30, 2013, 04:12 PM	#9
knucklehead macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2003	This has been know for decades: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSxihhBzCjk
	5

Jan 30, 2013, 04:13 PM	#12
Battlefield Fan macrumors 6502a Join Date: Mar 2008	I think that's what made the iPhone 4 design so great. It was a big step up in terms of metals and glass over the plastic used in the 3G and 3GS. I realize some wireless products need certain plastics to propagate signals but why step backwards if this is true? __________________ 15" Macbook Pro Hi-Res, 2.3 GHz i7 QC, 16GB RAM, 480 GB OWC Mercury Extreme Pro 6G Xbench score: 426; 27" TB ACD; 27" MDP ACD; Black iPhone 5 64GB; White iPad 3 32GB LTE
	8

Jan 30, 2013, 04:15 PM	#14
Small White Car macrumors G3 Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Washington DC	Or the guy that works on the Magic Mouse just quit and they're replacing him. I'm sorry, but I hate the "a job posting means a new direction for Apple products" stories.
	20

Jan 30, 2013, 04:17 PM	#16
dojoman In Time-Out Join Date: Apr 2010	Plastic from 3G/3GS is much better quality than Galaxy S3 back plactic. Just sayin'. I cringed every time I pulled off the GS3 back cover. It sounded cheap and felt cheap.
	5

Jan 30, 2013, 04:18 PM	#18
gkarris macrumors 604 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: In the stillness of remembering....	These phones make for cheap unlocked phones directly from Apple, as it is illegal for users to unlock smartphones in the US. $299 to start? People here are looking forward to AT&T unlocking their iPhones when their contract is up - little do they know the carrier is no longer obligated to do so... __________________ "This gate's plastic." Captain Carter, Stargate SG-1, "Touchstone"
	1

Jan 30, 2013, 04:19 PM	#19
MasterHowl macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: North of England	I don't think you can beat the aluminium + glass combo __________________ Mid-2009 15" MacBook Pro; 64 GB iPhone 4S; 64 GB iPad (3rd Gen); 500GB Time Capsule; AirPort Express; Apple Wireless Keyboard; Magic Trackpad; Apple Remote
	8

Jan 30, 2013, 04:19 PM	#20
Dagless macrumors Core Join Date: Jan 2005	Innovative plastic designs? Well I guess you had to put something there now that "magical" is used up. __________________ Maybe if everyone who'd ever been close to you had died, you'd be sarcastic, too. Also come join us Steam users!
	5

Jan 30, 2013, 04:20 PM	#21
Blackwell macrumors newbie Join Date: May 2012	Carbon Fiber
	6

Jan 30, 2013, 04:24 PM	#25
Nebrie macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jan 2002	Presenting the Blue Dalmation and Flower Power iPhone.
	5

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