Don't you just love it when someone gets hired at Apple and the media latches on to it like a mosquito?
The latest hire at Cupertino is Kevin Kenney — a specialist who's been building carbon fiber bikes for the last 14 years. Now, why would Apple want Kenney if not to make carbon fiber Macs, iPhones and iPads?
At least that's what the Apple rumor mill is suggesting. For years, Apple's engineered its products out of precision cut aluminum, glass and stainless steel, but the materials — strong as they are — are looking tired and old. I mean, a MacBook Pro today looks almost exactly the same as one from 2008, except for the new Thunderbolt port.
A switch to carbon fiber would make Apple's Macs and iOS devices extremely light yet strong. And we all know how much Apple loves it some lightweight gear. I've suggested Apple could switch to carbon fiber for the back of the next iPhone, but was dismissive of it due to the material's high cost.
It looks like Apple's getting serious about exploring carbon fiber or materials similar to it. Using glass for the back of the iPhone 4 might not have been the smartest idea, but we'll forgive Apple if it can mass produce a carbon fiber iPhone 5 or 6 that won't break our wallets. I might even drop down the pile of cash for a MacBook Air if it's even lighter than the current ones.
Via 9to5Mac
