November 21, 2024
Apple Invents Material That Looks Like Metal and Could Rid iPhone of Unsightly Antenna Bands

Apple Invents Material That Looks Like Metal and Could Rid iPhone of Unsightly Antenna Bands

Posted June 20, 2015 at 7:28pm by iClarified
Apple has filed a patent application for a non-capacitive or radio frequency-transparent material with an anodized metal appearance. Most notably if used for the casing of the iPhone, this type of material would let Apple get rid of the 'unsightly' antenna bands.

Apple says that "one design challenge associated with computing devices is maintaining a sleek and consistent appearance of a metallic outer enclosure for housing the various complex internal components."

Since metal is not radio frequency transparent, portions of the housings that cover antennas and touch sensors are made out of non-metallic materials such as plastic or glass. "Unfortunately, plastic surfaces and glass surfaces have different visual qualities than metallic surfaces, which result in a visible break in the metallic surface of the housing. This visible break can detract from the smooth and continuous look of the metallic housing."


Fortunately, Apple has found a method of forming a composite structure that is substantially non-electrically capacitive and having an anodized metal appearance.

The method includes converting a portion of a metal layer to a metal oxide layer that overlays an unconverted portion of the metal layer at a first surface of the metal oxide layer. The unconverted portion of the metal layer is viewable through the metal oxide layer. The method also involves exposing the first surface of the metal oxide layer by removing the unconverted portion of the metal layer. The method further involves forming the composite structure by applying an optically reflective layer that is substantially non-electrically capacitive on the exposed first surface of the metal oxide layer. The composite structure has the appearance of the anodized metal when viewed from a second surface of the metal oxide layer opposite the first surface.

Check out a mockup of what the iPhone 6 would look like without antenna bands below. Let us know which look you prefer in the comments.

You can hit the link below for more details on the material.


Read More [via BI]


Apple Invents Material That Looks Like Metal and Could Rid iPhone of Unsightly Antenna Bands
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Comments (24)
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Bigjiba
Bigjiba - June 22, 2015 at 12:39am
I'm agreeing. Nice that they can figure this out but that blank back is super ugly. Apple needs some design. Not just vanilla looks front and back.
gamerscul9870
gamerscul9870 - June 22, 2015 at 1:15am
so that means I should have this look to?
Mas22
Mas22 - June 21, 2015 at 3:14pm
Making the rear camera lens flush so it doesn't protrude, would be a nice addition as well...
gamerscul9870
gamerscul9870 - June 21, 2015 at 3:36pm
I'm sure the acquisition of the Israel camera company can do that since Apple did it a while back.
gamerscul9870
gamerscul9870 - June 21, 2015 at 1:43pm
I happen to put stickers on mine to resemble the 5s. Now I'm getting this one for sure when it hopefully comes to the 6s.
dkdk
dkdk - June 21, 2015 at 11:47am
I think the iPhone 6 is one of the most beautiful examples of industrial designs I've ever seen. I was not a big fan of prior iPhone designs (I really hated the sharp edges of the 4 and 5, for example). I find the antenna lines in the 6 pleasing and an integral part of the design.
pear-shaped-bottoms-up
pear-shaped-bottoms-up - June 21, 2015 at 10:57pm
Steve would'd never approved, neither lines nor protruding camera. Shame on you Apple! Such a pity, the whole company is so boring nowadays and going down the Nokia way, eventually.
Woz
Woz - June 22, 2015 at 5:37am
Yeah it looks just like the HTC ONE...Wait didn't that come out first?
gamerscul9870
gamerscul9870 - June 22, 2015 at 1:01pm
Is it built like HTC one? No. Does it even resemble HTC one? No. Look at the antenna bands on both phones. HTC goes across on top and bottom compared to the 6, plus the cameras aren't even positioned like it, nor does the from have that much screen or less bezel. HTC one came way after iPhone.
gamerscul9870
gamerscul9870 - June 20, 2015 at 11:58pm
I like it. Those ugly bands are gone and it's like having an iPod 6-like device.
tmel4198
tmel4198 - June 20, 2015 at 9:49pm
So when the layer of the layer meets the other layer they become layers? I get it now
Avais
Avais - June 20, 2015 at 9:24pm
I don't like any.. Yes I want the thick bands gone, but I don't want it to be a black spec on the back.. I want some design.. Honestly, thinner black antenna bands look good like what I've seen in mock ups they're better than the thick light grey ones. :)
myt
myt - June 20, 2015 at 9:11pm
I prefer the one with lines
p000ter
p000ter - June 20, 2015 at 8:15pm
I kinda like the bands. it adds character. In my opinion
Dommm
Dommm - June 20, 2015 at 8:29pm
Yeah , It would just look like a iPad
Jacob
Jacob - June 20, 2015 at 7:38pm
Apple Invents?
gamerscul9870
gamerscul9870 - June 20, 2015 at 11:57pm
Duh. iPhone in 2007, Mac Pro, Touch ID with Apple pay, and so much more.
Jacob
Jacob - June 21, 2015 at 3:11am
Mac Pro was a PC tower. Touch ID was technology Apple bought not invented. Apple Pay uses the long way around to NFC payments, which were already available in the U.S. and the majority of the industrialized world was already using. The iPhone yes.
gamerscul9870
gamerscul9870 - June 21, 2015 at 4:27am
Make pro is all the power of a computer is a small portable cylinder, Apple pay is a new way of using the wallet quickly easily and more secured even with NYC, Touch ID is used quickly and works flawlessly.
dkdk
dkdk - June 21, 2015 at 11:44am
Nobody is saying that Apple doesn't innovate, or improve... but words have meaning Mr. Flozz, and Jacob made his point.
Chris
Chris - June 21, 2015 at 4:20pm
PC towers existed before, Apple didn't invent biometric security or contactless mobile payments. They improved them and made them better.
gamerscul9870
gamerscul9870 - June 21, 2015 at 7:59pm
But did they light up? Were they acoustic? Did they achieve what this bad boy did? About Apple pay, does it works with a fingerprint scanner and secures it perfectly away?
Great!
Great! - June 22, 2015 at 4:23am
Would you attribute all round objects to the first person who invented the circle? Or would many of those man-made objects be considered innovations or inventions in their own right?
gamerscul9870
gamerscul9870 - June 22, 2015 at 4:27am
The stars is what circles were before humans discovered them like the sun, planets, even the moons and black hole.
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