Apple Interested in Liquidmetal Alloys for Home Buttons, Touch Sensors, and Tamper-Resistant Screws

[bwillwall]

Just how often does the average consumer have to (or even want to) open their iPhones , iPads etc.?

Those who do are clearly a minority, which Apple doesn't cater to.

I repair iPhones and know many others that do. How can you POSSIBLY be so blind to defend them for PURPOSELY trying to make this impossible? It has absolutely no other purpose! So please get off your fanboy high horse and stop blindly defending them.

Also, in case you think I'm some kind of android fanboy... I own an iPhone 5s and a Retina MacBook Pro as my only phone and computer and I love Apple.

 

[Rampant.A.I.]

Nope, if they spend the time filing for a patent for something like this I see no reason why they won't begin using it. When it comes to Apple, they do as much as possible to make the device as anti-consumer as possible as far as repairs go. I already picked up a Moto X and ditched the 5S. Among other things I grew quite tired of the instability (I mean come on, I've never used that wording before for iOS) of 7.0 and I have grown tired of waiting for Apple to fix it. 7.0 should have never been released with the number of crashes I experience on a daily basis .. just using things like Safari to browse. Both my 5S and Air do it .. and that's completely unacceptable.

So you spent an additional $400 instead of closing apps and a few tabs in Safari, based on wild speculation over an unspecific patent article?

If you don't mind me asking: How's construction going on the Soviet-proof Bomb Shelter?

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I repair iPhones and know many others that do. How can you POSSIBLY be so blind to defend them for PURPOSELY trying to make this impossible? It has absolutely no other purpose! So please get off your fanboy high horse and stop blindly defending them.

Also, in case you think I'm some kind of android fanboy... I own an iPhone 5s and a Retina MacBook Pro as my only phone and computer and I love Apple.

Why does the Liquid Metal portion have a Philips screw head if it's designed to not be removable?

Seems it would make more sense to have that portion snap off flush with the socket were that the aim.

 

[Thunderhawks]

I repair iPhones and know many others that do. How can you POSSIBLY be so blind to defend them for PURPOSELY trying to make this impossible? It has absolutely no other purpose! So please get off your fanboy high horse and stop blindly defending them.

Also, in case you think I'm some kind of android fanboy... I own an iPhone 5s and a Retina MacBook Pro as my only phone and computer and I love Apple.

So, you confirm my point: You are not an average consumer!

Those whose business it is to repair Apple products have the proper tools and know how to do it regardless of what screw configuration or obstacles there are.

Again, I can't see how that is an issue for the average consumer.

 

[Arran]

Liquid metal missleads consumers. The metal is not liquid. It's solid.

Well quite, but do consumers even care?

...this long fabled super metal.

I can't figure out how a material generates such interest? Sintered bronze and pate-de-verre glass are equally interesting materials and have been around for decades - but no such love for them.

Liquidmetal.
Thank God such an amazing technology is available for such a mission critical item like the SIM card tray opening tool.

Indeed. All we have so far is a paperclip substitute that doesn't even clip papers!

 

[bwillwall]

So, you confirm my point: You are not an average consumer!

Those whose business it is to repair Apple products have the proper tools and know how to do it regardless of what screw configuration or obstacles there are.

Again, I can't see how that is an issue for the average consumer.

Based on your logic the average customer wouldn't try to open the iPhone with or without special tamper-proof screws. Let me tell you the obvious way this WILL hurt the average consumer. When a so called average consumer tries to get their iPhones repaired, the only way they would be able to would be to take it to an Apple authorized repair place. Or maybe a repair place that got extremely expensive fancy tools. This has no benefit for anyone other than Apple's control.

 

[Thunderhawks]

Based on your logic the average customer wouldn't try to open the iPhone with or without special tamper-proof screws. Let me tell you the obvious way this WILL hurt the average consumer. When a so called average consumer tries to get their iPhones repaired, the only way they would be able to would be to take it to an Apple authorized repair place. Or maybe a repair place that got extremely expensive fancy tools. This has no benefit for anyone other than Apple's control.

Smart consumers have Apple Care and thus don't have to worry.

Also, let's not act as if the average consumer has to have his/her phone repaired every 5 minutes.
What I see mostly is cracked screens which people have repaired in malls or via mail in places for fixed pricing.

By using those kinds of screws Apple tells everybody that they don't want unauthorized people to repair their products.

Yes, they prefer to fix their products and you can call it control if you like.
There are some butchers out there!

Now, obviously money wins out and most consumers will go wherever it is cheapest.

I have tinkered in my MBPs, and other Apple products I had and I don't think any special screws would have stopped me from getting in there.
Not really a big deal or worth getting upset about.

 

[jamezr]

I can't figure out how a material generates such interest? Sintered bronze and pate-de-verre glass are equally interesting materials and have been around for decades - but no such love for them.

LOL....did you ever see Terminator 2 and 3? the way the robot shifted shape like well....liquid metal

 

[Arran]

LOL....did you ever see Terminator 2 and 3? the way the robot shifted shape like well....liquid metal

You think that's what's driving it?

Gosh. Big disappointment coming in 3... 2... 1...

 

[639051]

So you spent an additional $400 instead of closing apps and a few tabs in Safari, based on wild speculation over an unspecific patent article?

If you don't mind me asking: How's construction going on the Soviet-proof Bomb Shelter?

If you don't mind me asking, do you even know what I was discussing?

I think if "closing a few apps and tabs in Safari" causes the crashes to stop Apple wouldn't be scrambling to fix anything in 7.1. But since you obviously don't see that there is a problem, the rest of us are just crazy .. huh?

 

[Premium1]

Ah apple just wants to make it so like the newer computers you have to go to apple and get overcharged for any repairs.

 

[IanWoolfUPM]

Liquid Metal Technologies

My advice quit complaining about the screws and such and go to ETRADE and purchase as much Liquid Metal Technologies as you can afford....it's trading at .31 cents per share right now...
Disclosure; Long 18,500 shares at .27 cents!

 

[ray6712]

And to think, once upon a time Apple touted itself as being "Green".



When in reality they influenced the competition in the smartphone sector to eliminate battery doors and removeable easily replaced batteries.

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Home button failures are profitable for Apple.

actually that is being green user replaceable batteries usually end up in trash cans. yet a battery that cannot be removed will probably end up sold or traded at a store where it will find it's way back to Apple for refurbishment or recycling.