Macotakara reports
that it has received information from a source indicating that
representatives of Apple and Foxconn have been working to source unknown
parts from a company with expertise in carbon fiber materials.
MacBook Pro covered by "carbon fiber" stickers
More recently, a pair of reports had indicated that the iPad 2 might gain a carbon fiber body. Those claims did not come to pass, although both reports had indicated that the information was rather sketchy in nature as Apple may simply have been testing the technology during the company's product development cycle.
With the hiring of Kevin Kenney last year as a senior composites engineer, speculation regarding Apple's plans for carbon fiber has continued to surface. Kenney had previously served as president and CEO of carbon fiber bicycle frame pioneer Kestrel Bicycles.
According
to my source, some engineer of Apple and Foxconn Technology came on
Japanese company, which has carbon production in mid-March, and they
requested to develop some sample.
I don't have information which is ordered by Apple, source told the number of parts is too large to be called "sample".
Rumors
of Apple's interest in carbon fiber, which offers high strength at low
weight, have been circulating for a number of years but have yet to come
to fruition. Nearly four years ago there were rumors of a carbon fiber MacBook Air, and Apple patent applications have indicated that the company is at least exploring what could be done with such materials.
I don't have information which is ordered by Apple, source told the number of parts is too large to be called "sample".
MacBook Pro covered by "carbon fiber" stickers
More recently, a pair of reports had indicated that the iPad 2 might gain a carbon fiber body. Those claims did not come to pass, although both reports had indicated that the information was rather sketchy in nature as Apple may simply have been testing the technology during the company's product development cycle.
With the hiring of Kevin Kenney last year as a senior composites engineer, speculation regarding Apple's plans for carbon fiber has continued to surface. Kenney had previously served as president and CEO of carbon fiber bicycle frame pioneer Kestrel Bicycles.