To restate the context, that's you do believe I'm "just parroting Apple's statements" and "Believing everything Apple says because they're Apple."
Okay. Now the facts. This story is here because someone found out about the license in a LiquidMetal SEC filing. That's it, no other source. There was no Apple statement to parrot, there was no Apple statement to believe. You didn't even read the story. You parrotted the old "Apple fanboi" accusation from a purposeful position of absolute ignorance.
Look at the yield strength, the Young’s modulus, or the density in relation to other materials. Look at the minimum cast dimensions. Look at the cost.
First you thought LiquidMetal was an alloy, when it's a company, and now you seem to think it is one alloy, when it's not. Like other metals, there are various alloys with differing properties.
But okay, let's look up the Young's modulus. Vitreloy-1 is about 95-105 GPa. That's much better than the currently used aluminum, and right at the bottom end of traditional titanium alloys. Sounds great for something that can be produced cheaply in bulk like thermoplastics. If Young's modulous is SO IMPORTANT to you, then bitch about Apple not using carbon nanotubes. I'd love to see the manufacturing cost on those items. However, if it ever gets cheap enough to manufacture nanotubes, I'm sure Apple will will be looking into it. And then you'll be talking about how bad nanotubes are.
More important than that in consumer electronics applications would be fracture toughness, how resistant is it to resisting the spreading of cracks (such as when dropped). These alloys can get a fracture toughness equal to steel and titanium alloys. Again, the point is you get these properties in something that can be injection molded.
Cost? Hmmm, which is cheaper for long runs, investment casting, CNC milling or injection molding? I'd have to go with the injection molding by far. Cost of materials? That's LiquidMetal's contribution, they found a way to make amorphous metals cheaply, and Apple now has the license to it.
LiquidMetal is a lot of hot air...
Not as hot as other metals, another benefit for low-cost mass production.
Time will tell. The others almost always copy Apple's manufacturing and designs. But Apple finally found a way to stop the copiers. In a couple years when they want to copy Apple's use of Vitreloy, they're going to run up against Apple's exclusive and perpetual rights to the technology in consumer electronics. Too bad.
Good analysis, Anti. That is about what I saw as well but you said it better.
This reminds me of the story about the two hikers who, while on an excursion in Northern Canada, are accosted by a pack of wolves... as they run from the wolves, one suddenly stops and pulls out a pair of running shoes from his, and takes the times to put them on, as the wolves are catching up... The other says, panting, "You think a pair of running shoes are going to help you out run a pack of wolves ... that's insane! You're wasting time and resources to put them on!" The guy says, as he velcros the running shoes closed, "To survive, I don't have to outrun the wolves, I just have to outrun YOU!"
Apple doesn't have to make the STRONGEST casing for their laptops and iPhones possible... they just have to make STRONGER casings that meet their chosen criteria which other laptop and phone makers will not be able to meet. That's what PugetSoundSoldier doesn't understand.
LiquidMetal's amorphous alloys meet those criteria, much to PugetSoundSoldier's dismay. Despite a Young's Modulus number of 96... it's still 30 points higher than the Aluminum they are currently using. It's simply better. It's harder. It's easier to cast. It's lighter. It's stronger. It's more elastic. It's more scratch resistant. It's a hell of a lot better than the plastics many of the other makers are using. So what if it's not as good as some hypothetical material they COULD use to make their case.
Apple will be able to make a casing with similar exterior dimensions that is equally strong that provides MORE interior room for placement of more components including higher battery density for longer operational life than their competition. They will be able to do this with a material that will come out of the mould with minimal finish machining required, and minimal polishing necessary, that is resistive to corrosion and also is esthetically pleasing, that ALSO provides a marketing edge with the public. That will be a distinct advantage in the race away from the ravening wolves of the market. All they have to do is run faster than their competition. Apple is good at that. Now, they have a competitive edge they OWN... perpetually...
Apple is putting on some LiquidMetal running shoes. PugetSoundSoldier is realizing that.