According to Gizmodo Apple has been awarded a patent for the use of LiquidMetal for use with its batteries. At first that seams awkward because LiquidMetal is mainly known because it is scratch resistant, super strong, and light. Seems more pertinent to use it on the outside of a phone, right?
The reason why Apple is planning on using it in the inside, and for the battery, has everything to do with fuel cell development. A cool and science fiction style cell that would be able to power an iPhone for 30 days, without recharge. How cool would that be?
Yeah, amazingly cool which is why a lot of companies are looking into it. So far however nobody has developed a fully working, and economically feasible, product. The current patent might change that, and if it does, it would be an amazing breakthrough.
Or maybe Apple is just becoming a patent troll and has patented a small detail in the development of fuel cells to use in the negotiations once another company comes up with a working product. Always nice to be able to throw a patent on the table during negotiations.
Either way, judge for yourself by reading the relatively short and official description of the patent:
The current invention is directed to collector plates made of bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys, the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys providing ruggedness, lightweight structure, excellent resistance to chemical and environmental effects, and low-cost manufacturing. Another object of the current invention is a method of making collector plates from such bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys.
Its all about collector plates baby. I don’t care as long as my iPhone 5 gets me through the month on a single charge next year.
How long does your iPhone last on a single charge? I own the iPhone 4 and I’m perfectly happy with the 10+ hours I get these days…
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