9to5Mac is reporting that Apple has recently hired Kevin Kenny as Senior Composites Engineer, who had previously worked at Kestrel Bicycles and was the first build a an all carbon fiber bicycle frame in 1986. This move on Apple’s part seems to back up the long-running rumor that Apple will be moving to carbon fiber enclosures when they’ve exhausted the current aluminum designs.
In fact, the carbon fiber rumors go all the way back to 2008, with a report claiming Apple would move to carbon fiber in the MacBook Air. A patent application for carbon fiber composites for exterior shell use, surfaced in 2009. Then, as recently as a few months ago, two reports surfaced claiming that the iPad 2 would utilize a carbon fiber body to help reduce weight. This of course, did not come to fruition. To me, this also smacks of Apple’s reported acquisition of Liquidmetal’s alloy.
This will most certainly be interesting to watch unfold. I wonder how carbon fiber will look as the casing to Apple’s products. I’m assuming Apple will strive to make it seamless, and not cheap, or plastic-y looking. I also wonder about the overall durability of carbon fiber. It’s supposed to be tough, but as tough as aluminum? We’ll see.
Image from Apple’s old MacBook Air carbon fiber patent.
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