Apple is rumored to have ordered a large number of parts made of carbon fiber, leading to speculation that a new product made of the lightweight and durable material is coming from the company.
The rumored details come from an anonymous source who spoke with Japanese blog Macotakara. In a report published on Wednesday, author “danbo” said that Apple has requested the carbon fiber samples from a Japanese company which began production with the material in mid-March.
Apple’s interest in carbon fiber is well known, as it has been detailed in a number of patent filings by the company. A filing related to carbon fiber MacBook housings was made public earlier this month.
The application for an invention entitled “Carbon Composite Mold Design” tells how Apple might make “aesthetically pleasing” parts from carbon fiber and other composites.
Another filing describes how Apple would use carbon fiber to make the iPad stronger, yet lighter. The accompanying illustrations show a rear shell similar to the iPad’s made of carbon fiber.
The current iPad’s rear shell is made of aluminum, which improves the rigidity of the device, but increases the weight.
