Following rumors from earlier this month that Apple may use a LiquidMetal casing for their next iPhone, we’ve received word (once again) from an anonymous source stating that Apple will be using a LiquidMetal casing for their upcoming MacBook Pro/MacBook Air hybrid (image below via Saggiamente).
According to our source, who claims to be an insider within Apple’s MacBook manufacturing partners, the new MacBooks will also feature Intel’s new Ivy Bridge processors, which will bring native USB 3.0 support to Macs for the first time, and will also be thinner and lighter than previous models.
The tip mirrors information that we received last February about the early 2011 MacBook Pro upgrade:
It is said that all models will be made between 15-20% lighter, being made of an amorphous alloy that Apple has purchased the rights to. The material is said to be stronger, lighter, and more scratch resistant than the current aluminum unibodies, and is said to be manufactured in a process similar to injection molding, as is standard for that material.
It was also mentioned that Apple has invested in a new battery technology, enabling Apple to pack about 20% more battery life per volume into their battery cells, indicating that all notebooks across the board should be experiencing improved battery life.
While this new information isn’t quite as detailed as in our previous report, making no mention of specific details, our source did insist that Apple is preparing a hybrid device, and will be eliminating both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lines as we know then, combining their features into a single new line of MacBooks.
It’s worth taking all rumors like this one with a grain of salt – Apple has long been rumored to use LiquidMetal in their upcoming products, but so far all that has been produced using the material is the SIM ejector tool that Apple used to ship with all iPhones, as well as possible uses in components within Apple’s various devices.
It’s also worth noting that such rumors have been wrong in the past, as with the information we reported on last year. Even so, a LiquidMetal casing on Apple’s upcoming MacBooks would be an exciting move.
As always, nothing is certain until Apple confirms it themselves – but this is something we’ve been excited about for some time.
Update: It’s been pointed out that SlashGear published a similar report earlier this morning. It’s unclear whether or not their information came from the same source as ours.
