HIGHLIGHTS
* Apple has been granted a new patent for ‘Spatial Composites’ material.
* It could reportedly lead to a new material combining metal and ceramic.
* The new material could be used to make abrasion-resistant iPhones in the future.
* Apple has been granted a new patent for ‘Spatial Composites’ material by the US Patent and Trademark Office.
* The company is planning to design a scratch-resistant back panel by using abrasion-resistant materials.
* Since Apple only filed for the patent, we are not sure when a commercial device with the new composite will be made available.
Future Apple iPhones could reportedly be scratch and abrasion-resistant. According to Patently Apple, the Cupertino-based tech giant has been granted a new patent for ‘Spatial Composites’ material by the US Patent and Trademark Office.
Notably, premium Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and Macs, are prone to scratches. This forces users to resort to protective cases, which hide the device’s aesthetics.
With its Spatial Composites, Apple is working toward a scratch-resistant back panel that will allow Apple fans to use their devices without any bulky or hideous cases. Let’s take a look at what Spatial Composite is.
What is Spatial Composites material?
Spatial Composites are said to be metal and ceramic composites with scratch-resistant properties, minimal interference, and superior durability.
According to the patent, the resulting substrate material will feature a moldable matrix with these metal and ceramic located between 10 and 100 microns apart.
Apple currently uses Crystal Shield technology to prevent scratches on the display. With the new Spatial Composite, the back panel will also be protected as well.
As of now, Apple has only patented the composite so things might take time before the iPhone with Spatial Composite back panel is made.
Future Apple Devices Could be Scratch-Resistant
According to the patent document, the company is planning to create a scratch-resistant back panel by using abrasion-resistant materials, which could be incorporated into the chassis of an iPhone to make it stronger.
The document lists Christopher Prest, Stephen Lynch, and Teodor Dabov as the inventor of Spatial Composites. All of them are Apple engineers.
In the US patent number 11,678,445 B2, Apple explains various materials used in manufacturing smartphones and their respective scratch-resistance versus electromagnetic shielding.
The company elaborates that while plastic doesn’t interfere with radio connectivity, it’s not as scratch-resistant.
On the other hand, metal is scratch-resistant but messes with radio connectivity. Lastly, ceramic is scratch-resistant and doesn’t interfere with connectivity, but it is not as strong.
The patent then elaborates upon ‘Spatial Composites,’ which is said to be metal and ceramic composite with scratch-resistant properties, superior durability, and minimal interference.
According to the patent, the resulting substrate material will feature a mouldable matrix with these metal and ceramic located between 10 and 100 microns apart.
However, as of now, the company has only patented the composite and proposed the technology. It might take years before the first iPhone with a Spatial Composite back panel comes out.
Till then, iPhone users are advised to use a protective cover to maintain the pristine state of their devices.
Not just iPhones, but other Apple products may get this change
According to the patent, the new process is not just limited to Apple’s iPhones but also includes watches, tablets, laptops, notebooks, music playback devices, and more. This suggests that Apple is potentially on the verge of a significant transformation in product design, aiming to use advanced materials to further enhance the durability of its gadgets.
Faqs
1) Future Apple devices could be scratch-resistant.Details?
Ans) As per the patent document, the company is planning to design a scratch-resistant back panel by using abrasion-resistant materials. This will be incorporated into the chassis of an iPhone to make it stronger. The document lists Stephen Lynch, Teodor Dabov, and Christopher Prest as the inventor of Spatial Composites.
All of them are Apple engineers. In the patent document, Apple explains various materials used in manufacturing smartphones. The company says that plastic doesn’t interfere with radio connectivity but is scratch-resistant, while metal is scratch-resistant but has radio connectivity issues. Then there is ceramic, which is scratch-resistant but interferes with connectivity. This is also not a strong material.
2) Apple approves new patent to make upcoming iPhones scratch resistant: Here’s how it will work.
Ans) Users of upcoming iPhones may not require a cover for their smartphones. Apple has been researching ways to make the iPhone chassis withstand more wear and tear. The Cupertino-based tech giant has been granted a patent (spotted by AppleInsider) for “Spatial Composites.” With this new technology, Apple will be able to embed metal or ceramic in iPhone’s chassis for scratch resistance. The company also notes that different materials used in an iPhone chassis have certain benefits and problems.
Importance of making iPhones scratch-proof
“[Mobile] phones, watches and tablet computers can experience contact with various surfaces that leads to marring, or abrasion, of the surface of the device. [Regular housing] materials for such devices may have different combinations of properties relating to strength, appearance, abrasion resistance, electromagnetic shielding, and the like,” Apple said in the patent.
How different materials can be good or bad for iPhones
“[For instance,] metal housings may be particularly resistant to dents, scratches or breakage, but may interfere with radio signals entering or emanating from the device. Ceramic housings may be scratch resistant and transparent to radio signals but may be brittle. Plastic housings may be transparent to radio signals and fairly strong but may be prone to scratches or dents,” the company added.
How Apple is planning to overcome the issue
As per the patent, Apple’s proposed solution is to use more than one material for the chassis, when it lays out its plans. However, such adoption will be a challenge for the company and the whole patent discusses the materials to mix, and how to achieve the goal.
“A housing of an electronic device” has to get “abrasion-resistant members at least partly embedded in the substrate [chassis material] and extending beyond the external surface,” Apple mentioned in the patent.
“The abrasion-resistant members may be formed from metal or ceramic. The substrate comprises a moldable matrix. The abrasion-resistant members are harder than the moldable matrix,” the company stated.
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