Certain Electronic Devices Including Wireless Communication Devices Tablet Computers: Fill & Download for Free

Apple will create an iPhone primarily from ZrO2 - Zirconian CeramicsThe journey Apple has taken to adopt Zirconia Ceramic as the their fundamental design material translates like an epic movie plot. We will begin at the end.The Case For (of) ZirconiaZirconia ceramics [1] are structured in a martensite-type [2] transformation mechanism of stress induction. This provides the ability to absorb highest amounts of stress relative to other ceramic materials including:AluminaAluminum NitrideBoron CarbideBoron NitrideCordieriteGraphiteMulliteSapphireSilicon CarbideSilicon NitrideSteatiteTitanium DiborideTungsten CarbideZirconia ceramics exhibits the highest mechanical strength and toughness at room temperature. Zirconium ceramics have the highest fracture toughness of any advanced technical ceramic. Its toughness, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance make it ideal for high pressure applications.Common industrial applications include extrusion dies, wire and pipe extension, guides and other wear rollers, pressure valves, and bearing materials. Its thermal expansion coefficient is very close to steel, this property has made Zirconia ceramics the ideal plunger for use in a steel bore. Its properties are derived from a very precise phase composition. Zirconia has excellent wear, chemical and corrosion resistance, and low thermal conductivity.The properties of Zirconia ceramics are dictated by the types of atoms present, the types of bonding between the atoms, and the way the atoms are packed together. Zirconia is very densely packed. Zirconia ceramics usually have a combination of stronger bonds called ionic. This occurs between a metal and nonmetal and involves the attraction of opposite charges when electrons are transferred from the metal to the nonmetal.There are also covalent bonds that occurs between two nonmetals and involves sharing of atoms. In general, metals have weaker bonds than ceramics, which allows the electrons to move freely between atoms. This type of bond results in the property called ductility, where the metal can be easily bent without breaking, allowing it to be drawn into wire. Thus although stronger than metals, Zirconia ceramics are a bit more brittle. There are various methods to mitigate these effects.In relationship to most other materials, Zirconia ceramics exhibits an impervious resistance to scratching. Aluminum in almost all forms exhibits a higher likelihood of retaining scratches, scuffs and staining. Zirconia ceramics also can be pigmented to any color palette with-out the use of exterior paints.Rocket Science: How NASA Uses CeramicsZirconia ceramics are also extremely efficient at dissipating heat, perhaps better than any other material. Heat dissipation is desired when protecting a system as a barrier to heat, heat conduction is desired when the aim is to transfer heat away from a system. The Space Shuttle used LI-900 silica ceramics as the thermal protection system, a barrier that protected the Space Shuttle Orbiter during atmospheric reentry dissipating ~3,000 °F of accumulated heat protecting the Aluminum skin from thermal gradients no hotter than 350°F . NASA began research into using ceramics spanning from the early 1960s for thermal HRSI layers for entry level spacecraft. NASA drove the research that created all the modern ceramic systems, including the ideas behind using Zirconia ceramics.Zirconia + Alumina Or Aluminum Nitride Conduct HeatThe LI-900 silica ceramics have the opposite effect one would need in most moderne electronic devices, mainly to dissipate heat. Zirconia alone in a ceramic is a very low heat conductor, but this can be changed. In electronics application the introduction of Alumina or better yet Aluminum Nitride the heat conduction coefficients rapidly surpass Aluminum alone. The ratios of these introduction into the Zirconia ceramic can introduce brittleness, however it can be mitigated with an effective balance.Transparent Zirconia CeramicsZirconia ceramics can also be transparent. In 2012 the Tokyo Research Laboratory wrote a landmark paper [3] called the: “Development of highly transparent zirconia ceramics”. Transparent Zirconia ceramics could serve as a new very hard screen.Apple’s Material Science OdysseyApple has been on a journey to craft the products they create from the most advanced elements. Through it’s history Apple has revolutionized the use of Aluminum, from smelting and fabrication to micro-millimeter precision CNC machining. Apple has advanced the use of Aluminum to such a degree they have reached the pinnacle of how much further they can go, other than “transparent Aluminum” (Aluminum oxynitride) [4].Apple’s desire to stretch the bounds of material science may have contributed to the “Bendgate” [5]. As the iPhone became thinner the potential of failure to the structural integrity increased. There are remedial ways to use components inside of the iPhone to aid in the structural integrity, however Apple may have reached the limit.Apple’s Sapphire DetourOn October 1st, 2013 Apple entered into a unique relationship with GT Advanced Technologies on the manufacturing of Sapphire Crystals for production into screens and a new unibody iPhone made primarily of Sapphire. The press release was optimistic, although at the time I had deep concerns over the fact Apple did not fully acquire the company, instead created a unique performance based relationship.On October 31, 2013, GTAT Corporation ("GTAT"), a wholly owned subsidiary of GT Advanced Technologies Inc, and Apple ("Apple") entered into a Master Development and Supply Agreement and related Statement of Work (the "MDSA"), pursuant to which GTAT will supply sapphire material exclusively to Apple for consumer electronics. GTAT has granted Apple certain intellectual property rights in connection with its sapphire growth technologies.The unique relationship required GT Advanced Technologies to produce optically clear and flawless crystals in factory space supplied by Apple in Arizona. The relationship fell apart rapidly as quality and production volume was not nearly as expected at a cost that was several times more expensive than anyone anticipated. Apple ended the relationship and by October, 2014 GT Advanced Technologies was in bankruptcy.The Sapphire screen was to be a central part of the iPhone 6 series and would have added greatly to the structural integrity. Apple had about 5 months before the announcement of the iPhone and compromised on the design. It was a tragic turn of events that is still impacting Apple to this day in the design of the iPhone 7. Apple would normally advance the design of the iPhone ever 2 years. The setback from the failure of GT Advanced Technologies forced Apple took look at other materials. Apple internally vowed to never become reliant on outside vendors for critical foundational technology. They went back to the drawing board.Back To The Drawing Board And The Trail Of Apple PatentsAfter the failure to get very high production quantities of Sapphire at high quality, Apple looked closer at the periodic table of elements and searched for materials that can be manufactured in very high quantities, have similar properties to Sapphire and Aluminum. Apple tested hundreds of ideas but ultimately settled on Zirconia ceramics because of the characteristics stated above. Apple has a patent history using ceramics dating past 2006, thus it was a natural path for their next major leap in material sciences.The ideal material to manufactured and iPhone should be radio transparent [6] allowing the the many radio frequencies to emanate from the device unimpeded. Currently iPhones have antenna lines, even the least iPhone 7 has them, although they have been machined into the unibody of Aluminum. Aluminum successful blocks just about all short band radio frequencies and as devices become smaller, the impact on radio range becomes challenging.The iPhone Becoming Radio TransparantIn summer of August, 2006, about six months before the iPhone was announced by Steve Jobs in January 9, 2007, Apple material scientists Stephen Zadesky and Stephen Lynch were filing patents for: “A handheld computing device includes an enclosure having structural walls formed from a ceramic material that is radio-transparent” [7].The backgrounds statement for the patent says quite a bit:“In recent years, portable computing devices such as laptops, PDAs, media players, cellular phones, etc., have become small, light and powerful. One factor contributing to this phenomena is in the manufacturer's ability to fabricate various components of these devices in smaller and smaller sizes while in most cases increasing the power and or operating speed of such components. Unfortunately, the trend of smaller, lighter and powerful presents a continuing design challenge in the design of some components of the portable computing devices.One design challenge associated with the portable computing devices is the design of the enclosures used to house the various internal components of the portable computing devices. This design challenge generally arises from two conflicting design goals--the desirability of making the enclosure lighter and thinner, and the desirability of making the enclosure stronger and more rigid. The lighter enclosures, which typically use thinner plastic structures and fewer fasteners, tend to be more flexible and therefore they have a greater propensity to buckle and bow when used while the stronger and more rigid enclosures, which typically use thicker plastic structures and more fasteners, tend to be thicker and carry more weight. Unfortunately, increased weight may lead to user dissatisfaction, and bowing may damage the internal parts of the portable computing devices.…The invention relates, in one embodiment, to a portable computing device capable of wireless communications. The portable computing device includes an enclosure that surrounds and protects the internal operational components of the portable computing device. The enclosure includes a structural wall formed from a ceramic material that permits wireless communications therethrough. The wireless communications may for example correspond to RF communications, and further the ceramic material may be radio-transparent thereby allowing RF communications therethrough.When I first read this patent application in 2006 I knew that at some point this would be one of the next foundational direction for materials for Apple. The radio transparency solves a tremendous number of problems. The iPhone needs to transmit and/or receive through 5 primary radio systems including Cellular, WiFI, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, etc. There is great advantage to using a unibody that is radio transparent.The Apple Zirconia Ceramics Production PatentIn February, 2014 Apple continued to patent more advancements in the production of Zirconia ceramics with: “CERAMIC COMPONENT CASTING” [7]. The patent application deals with a technique that makes production quality much higher by removing the processes that introduces imperfections.“Ceramic-based components can be used in a variety of products including structural/building materials, kitchen and tableware, automotive components, medical devices and electronic devices. These ceramic-based components may be used in such a variety of industries because of the desirable physical properties and characteristics. As one example, ceramic-based materials may include high strength properties (e.g., fracture toughness, ductility), include dielectric constant properties and may be substantially transparent, dependent on manufacture. Conventional ceramic-based components are typically made using two techniques: ceramic injection molding (CIM) and ceramic gel casting.Generally, embodiments discussed herein are related to methods for improved ceramic component casting. The methods of casting may include combining two materials, where the combining of the two materials begin a curing process to form a ceramic component. At least one of the two materials may include zirconia particles. The combined materials, including the zirconia particles, may be disposed within a cavity of a ceramic component mold, and may cure over a predetermined time to form a ceramic component. The forming of the ceramic component may be accomplished by maintaining a minimal compression force and relatively constant temperature surrounding the two materials including the zirconia particles. That is, the formation may not require any additional pressure than the amount of pressure needed to hold the component mold together.Additionally, the formation may not require the addition of heat to the two materials including the zirconia to form the ceramic component. As a result, the mold need not withstand rapid heating and cooling, and may be made from a more cost-effective material. Additionally, through the casting process, the two materials including the zirconia and/or the mold may be subjected to a vacuum in order to remove air bubbles that may negatively affect the formed ceramic component.In this patent Apple is perfecting the production of Zirconia ceramic that allows for higher strength and a lower brittleness factor.The Landmark Zirconia Ceramics iPhone, MacBook And Apple Watch PatentOn August 3rd, 2015 Apple presented the landmark patent for the future direction of Apple products to the USTPO. Innocently titled: “CO-MOLDED CERAMIC AND POLYMER STRUCTURE”. On September 8, 2016 one day after the Apple event that announced the iPhone 7 and the Apple Watch Series 2 the patent was made public. Of particular interest is Apple Watch Edition Series 2. Although I anticipated a ceramic Watch but this time Apple used Zirconia + Alunima. The patent was embargoed since August, 2015 by the USPTO to one day after the event so as not to telegraph a future product shift to competitors.The patent cites this background:As one specific example, ceramic materials have numerous qualities that make them particularly useful for use in electronic device housings. For example, they may be highly scratch resistant, making them particularly well suited for electronic devices that are frequently subject to bumps, scrapes, and scratches, such as wearable electronic devices (e.g., smart watches, glasses and the like), mechanical watches, and other consumer products (including, but not limited to, media players, mobile computers, tablet computing devices, and so on). As a specific example, the high hardness and optical clarity of sapphire crystal (a crystalline ceramic material) may be very well suited as the cover glass for a touch-screen of a wearable electronic device. Ceramic materials may also be relatively light, making handheld or wearable electronic devices easier to carry, wear, and use. Moreover, ceramic materials may be able to achieve a high degree of surface polish making them particularly aesthetically pleasing.However, ceramic materials typically are more difficult to form into complex geometries than plastics, and, thus, manufacturing housing components from ceramic materials can be more difficult than for other materials. Accordingly, described herein are housing components where a polymer material is co-molded with a ceramic component to form a housing component that includes ceramic and polymer material portions. (As used herein, the terms "polymer" and/or "polymer material" encompass natural and synthetic polymers, plastics, rubbers, and the like.) For example, a ceramic housing portion may be co-molded with a polymer material to form a polymer clip that is directly coupled to the ceramic material and can be used to retain the ceramic component with another housing component. As another example, a polymer material may be co-molded with a ceramic component to form a plastic coating on a portion of the ceramic componentAs described herein, a polymer material forming a polymer feature may be coupled to a ceramic component by a co-molding process whereby the polymer material is molded against the ceramic component. By co-molding the polymer material directly onto the ceramic component, the polymer feature may be bonded to the ceramic material without the use of an intervening adhesive or other bonding agent between the ceramic and the polymer feature. For example, instead of separately forming the ceramic component and the polymer feature, and then adhering the polymer feature to the ceramic with glue, pressure sensitive adhesive, heat activated films, epoxy, or the like, the polymer may be molded directly against the ceramic material.Thus, parts that include both ceramic and polymer components can be manufactured more quickly and with higher precision than would be achieved if the components had to be manufactured separately and thereafter coupled together with adhesive. In some embodiments, the polymer material is injection molded onto the ceramic component. In some embodiments, the polymer material is molded onto the ceramic component using techniques other than injection molding, such as gravity casting, or any other appropriate co-molding process. Where the present discussion refers to injection molding, it will be understood that other molding techniques may be used in such instances instead of or in addition to injection molding.Apple has created a system whereby injection moulding can be used to form the unibody of a device and to mate that device efficiently to a screen. There are embodiments that also present the Apple Watch Edition Series 2.The description on the Apple website for Apple Watch Edition follows the narrative of this patent and our story so far:“Uniquely elegant. Brilliantly scratch-resistant.Sleek, light, and extremely durable, ceramic is more than four times as hard as stainless steel — with a pearly, lustrous finish that won’t scratch or tarnish.The craftsmanship behind the case.The process of creating the Apple Watch Edition case begins with a high-strength zirconia powder that’s combined with alumina to achieve its rich, white color. Each case is then compression molded, sintered, and polished using a diamond slurry, which results in a remarkably smooth surface and an exquisite shine. With this precise level of workmanship, every Apple Watch Edition case takes days to make.”One can see Apple is using a Zirconia powder with Alumina. This is for color but also for heat transference. As mentioned above this coincides with what I mentioned above about increasing thermal conductivity of Zirconia ceramics.Apple Watch Edition Series 2 has replaced the solid gold original Watch Edition that sold for $17,000. Apple Watch Edition Series 2 sells for about $1,200 and is now the premium level for the device. Apple is suggesting luxury with the use of this material at this point.What Does This All Mean?One could argue that the premium price could signal that the iPhone made of Zirconia ceramic would be more costly based on this example. However in my analysis the production cost of high yield Zirconia ceramic in sufficient quantities to produce a unibody in the form factor of the current iPhone 7 would actually be less costly than the current manufacturing, milling and CNC machining of the unibody in Aluminum for the iPhone 7, in high production.Thus we have the basis for the next generation of the iPhone, but perhaps all Apple devices including the iPad, MacBook Pro and other others. The reasoning is very simple, the benefits of Zirconia ceramic are especially useful for any modern computer device.Why is Apple moving to Zirconia Ceramics?StrengthRadio TransparencyHeat Conducton/Dissipation - with Alumina / Aluminum NitrideScratch resistanceEase of manufacturingClearly Apple has reached as far as they could with CNC Aluminum and has reached as to the limits of usability for future iPhones. It is one hinderance to the device becoming thinner, the transverse strength is at the limit. As Apple introduces more advanced chips they will induce more heat and this heat needs to be dissipated efficiently.These issues also apply to the iPad and the MacBook. The strength and thermal exchange rate is quite unmatched. As mentioned above, NASA choose silica (for weight, but also made them very brittle) ceramics used in the 24,000 tile LI-900 thermal protection system to dissipated heat efficiently. It worked very well, but was not perfect. With Zirconia ceramics and the introduction of Alumina and or Aluminum Nitride the heat transfer coefficient will exceed Aluminum alone making the new iPhone the best device to dissipate heat seen thus far [8].The Entire iPhone Casing Is A Battery: Meet Lithium-Ceramic BatteriesThere is a very intriguing possibility that new Lithium-Ceramic [9] battery technology could be implemented in to the actual case material of a future iPhone. This new battery technology allows for a very new and unique way to eliminate a separate battery and to fashion it into the actual structure of the iPhone. Although Lithium-Ceramic batteries are currently not as efficient.A Lithium-Ceramic battery as the entire casing system for a future iPhone would allow for a substantially larger battery more than compensating for the lowered efficiency. This manufacturing technique would be revolutionary and create a thinner and lighter iPhone.Lithium-Ceramic batteries are so resilient they can be cut in half and still operate. They are also a magnitude more safe and recyclable. The safety issue is currently a wide concern when it was discovered the Samsung Galaxy Note7 suffered a ban on airlines and a Consumer Products Safety Commission recall because of a explosion and fire hazard. Lithium-Ceramic batteries would be some of the safest batteries in use.The 10th Anniversary iPhone 8In September 2017, Apple will be releasing the 10th Anniversary iPhone 8. It is my view Apple will use this moment to present a completely new iPhone design that will be revolutionary in many ways. I assert the design language will be based on a more organic shape and design. There will be ergonomic curves that will mold into the new AMOLED display being driven by video chips that simply could not have thermally operated in such a small space with-out heat efficiency of Zirconia ceramics. The iPhone 8 will not just be water resistant but water proof and dust proof to a level never seen before on a smartphone. The lightning port will look more like the Mag-Safe system used on the MacBook Pro devices [10] and mostly use inductive charging. Of course there will be no 3.5mm audio jack.I say this: I hope that in some way Apple always has a reason to include something made of Aluminum, you and I and the rest of the world will miss Jony Ive saying Aluminum.Destiny DelayedI think destiny delayed the shift of the iPhone to this new material and design to correlate with the 10 year mark. I think Apple needs the time to craft and engineer this to a level of artistry and perfection never seen before. I think it will be one of Jony Ive’s crowning achievement. I think it will be one of Apple’s crowning achievements. It will be worth the wait.[1] https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Zirconia+ceramics+wiki&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi4tJ_GpYXPAhVM82MKHZNdBHcQgQMIHDAA[2] https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=martensite-type+transformation&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjt9LaJo4XPAhVC0WMKHTDQCdQQgQMIHDAA[3] http://www.tosoh.co.jp/technology/assets/2012_02_02.pdf[4] Aluminium oxynitride + Star Trek's Transparent Aluminum is Now Real[5] iPhone 6[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiodensity[7] United States Patent Application: 0060268528[7] United States Patent Application: 0150217479[8] Thermal - Thermal Conductivity[9] https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=lithium-Ceramic+battery&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjmqbW-iYrPAhXFGj4KHYINDYoQgQMIHzAA[10] Patent US7762817 - System for coupling interfacing parts + United States Patent Application: 0110038114

Apple will create an iPhone primarily from ZrO2 - Zirconian CeramicsThe journey Apple has taken to adopt Zirconia Ceramic as the their fundamental design material translates like an epic movie plot. We will begin at the end.The Case For (of) ZirconiaZirconia ceramics [1] are structured in a martensite-type [2] transformation mechanism of stress induction. This provides the ability to absorb highest amounts of stress relative to other ceramic materials including:AluminaAluminum NitrideBoron CarbideBoron NitrideCordieriteGraphiteMulliteSapphireSilicon CarbideSilicon NitrideSteatiteTitanium DiborideTungsten CarbideZirconia ceramics exhibits the highest mechanical strength and toughness at room temperature. Zirconium ceramics have the highest fracture toughness of any advanced technical ceramic. Its toughness, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance make it ideal for high pressure applications.Common industrial applications include extrusion dies, wire and pipe extension, guides and other wear rollers, pressure valves, and bearing materials. Its thermal expansion coefficient is very close to steel, this property has made Zirconia ceramics the ideal plunger for use in a steel bore. Its properties are derived from a very precise phase composition. Zirconia has excellent wear, chemical and corrosion resistance, and low thermal conductivity.The properties of Zirconia ceramics are dictated by the types of atoms present, the types of bonding between the atoms, and the way the atoms are packed together. Zirconia is very densely packed. Zirconia ceramics usually have a combination of stronger bonds called ionic. This occurs between a metal and nonmetal and involves the attraction of opposite charges when electrons are transferred from the metal to the nonmetal.There are also covalent bonds that occurs between two nonmetals and involves sharing of atoms. In general, metals have weaker bonds than ceramics, which allows the electrons to move freely between atoms. This type of bond results in the property called ductility, where the metal can be easily bent without breaking, allowing it to be drawn into wire. Thus although stronger than metals, Zirconia ceramics are a bit more brittle. There are various methods to mitigate these effects.In relationship to most other materials, Zirconia ceramics exhibits an impervious resistance to scratching. Aluminum in almost all forms exhibits a higher likelihood of retaining scratches, scuffs and staining. Zirconia ceramics also can be pigmented to any color palette with-out the use of exterior paints.Rocket Science: How NASA Uses CeramicsZirconia ceramics are also extremely efficient at dissipating heat, perhaps better than any other material. Heat dissipation is desired when protecting a system as a barrier to heat, heat conduction is desired when the aim is to transfer heat away from a system. The Space Shuttle used LI-900 silica ceramics as the thermal protection system, a barrier that protected the Space Shuttle Orbiter during atmospheric reentry dissipating ~3,000 °F of accumulated heat protecting the Aluminum skin from thermal gradients no hotter than 350°F . NASA began research into using ceramics spanning from the early 1960s for thermal HRSI layers for entry level spacecraft. NASA drove the research that created all the modern ceramic systems, including the ideas behind using Zirconia ceramics.Zirconia + Alumina Or Aluminum Nitride Conduct HeatThe LI-900 silica ceramics have the opposite effect one would need in most moderne electronic devices, mainly to dissipate heat. Zirconia alone in a ceramic is a very low heat conductor, but this can be changed. In electronics application the introduction of Alumina or better yet Aluminum Nitride the heat conduction coefficients rapidly surpass Aluminum alone. The ratios of these introduction into the Zirconia ceramic can introduce brittleness, however it can be mitigated with an effective balance.Transparent Zirconia CeramicsZirconia ceramics can also be transparent. In 2012 the Tokyo Research Laboratory wrote a landmark paper [3] called the: “Development of highly transparent zirconia ceramics”. Transparent Zirconia ceramics could serve as a new very hard screen.Apple’s Material Science OdysseyApple has been on a journey to craft the products they create from the most advanced elements. Through it’s history Apple has revolutionized the use of Aluminum, from smelting and fabrication to micro-millimeter precision CNC machining. Apple has advanced the use of Aluminum to such a degree they have reached the pinnacle of how much further they can go, other than “transparent Aluminum” (Aluminum oxynitride) [4].Apple’s desire to stretch the bounds of material science may have contributed to the “Bendgate” [5]. As the iPhone became thinner the potential of failure to the structural integrity increased. There are remedial ways to use components inside of the iPhone to aid in the structural integrity, however Apple may have reached the limit.Apple’s Sapphire DetourOn October 1st, 2013 Apple entered into a unique relationship with GT Advanced Technologies on the manufacturing of Sapphire Crystals for production into screens and a new unibody iPhone made primarily of Sapphire. The press release was optimistic, although at the time I had deep concerns over the fact Apple did not fully acquire the company, instead created a unique performance based relationship.On October 31, 2013, GTAT Corporation ("GTAT"), a wholly owned subsidiary of GT Advanced Technologies Inc, and Apple ("Apple") entered into a Master Development and Supply Agreement and related Statement of Work (the "MDSA"), pursuant to which GTAT will supply sapphire material exclusively to Apple for consumer electronics. GTAT has granted Apple certain intellectual property rights in connection with its sapphire growth technologies.The unique relationship required GT Advanced Technologies to produce optically clear and flawless crystals in factory space supplied by Apple in Arizona. The relationship fell apart rapidly as quality and production volume was not nearly as expected at a cost that was several times more expensive than anyone anticipated. Apple ended the relationship and by October, 2014 GT Advanced Technologies was in bankruptcy.The Sapphire screen was to be a central part of the iPhone 6 series and would have added greatly to the structural integrity. Apple had about 5 months before the announcement of the iPhone and compromised on the design. It was a tragic turn of events that is still impacting Apple to this day in the design of the iPhone 7. Apple would normally advance the design of the iPhone ever 2 years. The setback from the failure of GT Advanced Technologies forced Apple took look at other materials. Apple internally vowed to never become reliant on outside vendors for critical foundational technology. They went back to the drawing board.Back To The Drawing Board And The Trail Of Apple PatentsAfter the failure to get very high production quantities of Sapphire at high quality, Apple looked closer at the periodic table of elements and searched for materials that can be manufactured in very high quantities, have similar properties to Sapphire and Aluminum. Apple tested hundreds of ideas but ultimately settled on Zirconia ceramics because of the characteristics stated above. Apple has a patent history using ceramics dating past 2006, thus it was a natural path for their next major leap in material sciences.The ideal material to manufactured and iPhone should be radio transparent [6] allowing the the many radio frequencies to emanate from the device unimpeded. Currently iPhones have antenna lines, even the least iPhone 7 has them, although they have been machined into the unibody of Aluminum. Aluminum successful blocks just about all short band radio frequencies and as devices become smaller, the impact on radio range becomes challenging.The iPhone Becoming Radio TransparantIn summer of August, 2006, about six months before the iPhone was announced by Steve Jobs in January 9, 2007, Apple material scientists Stephen Zadesky and Stephen Lynch were filing patents for: “A handheld computing device includes an enclosure having structural walls formed from a ceramic material that is radio-transparent” [7].The backgrounds statement for the patent says quite a bit:“In recent years, portable computing devices such as laptops, PDAs, media players, cellular phones, etc., have become small, light and powerful. One factor contributing to this phenomena is in the manufacturer's ability to fabricate various components of these devices in smaller and smaller sizes while in most cases increasing the power and or operating speed of such components. Unfortunately, the trend of smaller, lighter and powerful presents a continuing design challenge in the design of some components of the portable computing devices.One design challenge associated with the portable computing devices is the design of the enclosures used to house the various internal components of the portable computing devices. This design challenge generally arises from two conflicting design goals--the desirability of making the enclosure lighter and thinner, and the desirability of making the enclosure stronger and more rigid. The lighter enclosures, which typically use thinner plastic structures and fewer fasteners, tend to be more flexible and therefore they have a greater propensity to buckle and bow when used while the stronger and more rigid enclosures, which typically use thicker plastic structures and more fasteners, tend to be thicker and carry more weight. Unfortunately, increased weight may lead to user dissatisfaction, and bowing may damage the internal parts of the portable computing devices.…The invention relates, in one embodiment, to a portable computing device capable of wireless communications. The portable computing device includes an enclosure that surrounds and protects the internal operational components of the portable computing device. The enclosure includes a structural wall formed from a ceramic material that permits wireless communications therethrough. The wireless communications may for example correspond to RF communications, and further the ceramic material may be radio-transparent thereby allowing RF communications therethrough.When I first read this patent application in 2006 I knew that at some point this would be one of the next foundational direction for materials for Apple. The radio transparency solves a tremendous number of problems. The iPhone needs to transmit and/or receive through 5 primary radio systems including Cellular, WiFI, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, etc. There is great advantage to using a unibody that is radio transparent.The Apple Zirconia Ceramics Production PatentIn February, 2014 Apple continued to patent more advancements in the production of Zirconia ceramics with: “CERAMIC COMPONENT CASTING” [7]. The patent application deals with a technique that makes production quality much higher by removing the processes that introduces imperfections.“Ceramic-based components can be used in a variety of products including structural/building materials, kitchen and tableware, automotive components, medical devices and electronic devices. These ceramic-based components may be used in such a variety of industries because of the desirable physical properties and characteristics. As one example, ceramic-based materials may include high strength properties (e.g., fracture toughness, ductility), include dielectric constant properties and may be substantially transparent, dependent on manufacture. Conventional ceramic-based components are typically made using two techniques: ceramic injection molding (CIM) and ceramic gel casting.Generally, embodiments discussed herein are related to methods for improved ceramic component casting. The methods of casting may include combining two materials, where the combining of the two materials begin a curing process to form a ceramic component. At least one of the two materials may include zirconia particles. The combined materials, including the zirconia particles, may be disposed within a cavity of a ceramic component mold, and may cure over a predetermined time to form a ceramic component. The forming of the ceramic component may be accomplished by maintaining a minimal compression force and relatively constant temperature surrounding the two materials including the zirconia particles. That is, the formation may not require any additional pressure than the amount of pressure needed to hold the component mold together.Additionally, the formation may not require the addition of heat to the two materials including the zirconia to form the ceramic component. As a result, the mold need not withstand rapid heating and cooling, and may be made from a more cost-effective material. Additionally, through the casting process, the two materials including the zirconia and/or the mold may be subjected to a vacuum in order to remove air bubbles that may negatively affect the formed ceramic component.In this patent Apple is perfecting the production of Zirconia ceramic that allows for higher strength and a lower brittleness factor.The Landmark Zirconia Ceramics iPhone, MacBook And Apple Watch PatentOn August 3rd, 2015 Apple presented the landmark patent for the future direction of Apple products to the USTPO. Innocently titled: “CO-MOLDED CERAMIC AND POLYMER STRUCTURE”. On September 8, 2016 one day after the Apple event that announced the iPhone 7 and the Apple Watch Series 2 the patent was made public. Of particular interest is Apple Watch Edition Series 2. Although I anticipated a ceramic Watch but this time Apple used Zirconia + Alunima. The patent was embargoed since August, 2015 by the USPTO to one day after the event so as not to telegraph a future product shift to competitors.The patent cites this background:As one specific example, ceramic materials have numerous qualities that make them particularly useful for use in electronic device housings. For example, they may be highly scratch resistant, making them particularly well suited for electronic devices that are frequently subject to bumps, scrapes, and scratches, such as wearable electronic devices (e.g., smart watches, glasses and the like), mechanical watches, and other consumer products (including, but not limited to, media players, mobile computers, tablet computing devices, and so on). As a specific example, the high hardness and optical clarity of sapphire crystal (a crystalline ceramic material) may be very well suited as the cover glass for a touch-screen of a wearable electronic device. Ceramic materials may also be relatively light, making handheld or wearable electronic devices easier to carry, wear, and use. Moreover, ceramic materials may be able to achieve a high degree of surface polish making them particularly aesthetically pleasing.However, ceramic materials typically are more difficult to form into complex geometries than plastics, and, thus, manufacturing housing components from ceramic materials can be more difficult than for other materials. Accordingly, described herein are housing components where a polymer material is co-molded with a ceramic component to form a housing component that includes ceramic and polymer material portions. (As used herein, the terms "polymer" and/or "polymer material" encompass natural and synthetic polymers, plastics, rubbers, and the like.) For example, a ceramic housing portion may be co-molded with a polymer material to form a polymer clip that is directly coupled to the ceramic material and can be used to retain the ceramic component with another housing component. As another example, a polymer material may be co-molded with a ceramic component to form a plastic coating on a portion of the ceramic componentAs described herein, a polymer material forming a polymer feature may be coupled to a ceramic component by a co-molding process whereby the polymer material is molded against the ceramic component. By co-molding the polymer material directly onto the ceramic component, the polymer feature may be bonded to the ceramic material without the use of an intervening adhesive or other bonding agent between the ceramic and the polymer feature. For example, instead of separately forming the ceramic component and the polymer feature, and then adhering the polymer feature to the ceramic with glue, pressure sensitive adhesive, heat activated films, epoxy, or the like, the polymer may be molded directly against the ceramic material.Thus, parts that include both ceramic and polymer components can be manufactured more quickly and with higher precision than would be achieved if the components had to be manufactured separately and thereafter coupled together with adhesive. In some embodiments, the polymer material is injection molded onto the ceramic component. In some embodiments, the polymer material is molded onto the ceramic component using techniques other than injection molding, such as gravity casting, or any other appropriate co-molding process. Where the present discussion refers to injection molding, it will be understood that other molding techniques may be used in such instances instead of or in addition to injection molding.Apple has created a system whereby injection moulding can be used to form the unibody of a device and to mate that device efficiently to a screen. There are embodiments that also present the Apple Watch Edition Series 2.The description on the Apple website for Apple Watch Edition follows the narrative of this patent and our story so far:“Uniquely elegant. Brilliantly scratch-resistant.Sleek, light, and extremely durable, ceramic is more than four times as hard as stainless steel — with a pearly, lustrous finish that won’t scratch or tarnish.The craftsmanship behind the case.The process of creating the Apple Watch Edition case begins with a high-strength zirconia powder that’s combined with alumina to achieve its rich, white color. Each case is then compression molded, sintered, and polished using a diamond slurry, which results in a remarkably smooth surface and an exquisite shine. With this precise level of workmanship, every Apple Watch Edition case takes days to make.”One can see Apple is using a Zirconia powder with Alumina. This is for color but also for heat transference. As mentioned above this coincides with what I mentioned above about increasing thermal conductivity of Zirconia ceramics.Apple Watch Edition Series 2 has replaced the solid gold original Watch Edition that sold for $17,000. Apple Watch Edition Series 2 sells for about $1,200 and is now the premium level for the device. Apple is suggesting luxury with the use of this material at this point.What Does This All Mean?One could argue that the premium price could signal that the iPhone made of Zirconia ceramic would be more costly based on this example. However in my analysis the production cost of high yield Zirconia ceramic in sufficient quantities to produce a unibody in the form factor of the current iPhone 7 would actually be less costly than the current manufacturing, milling and CNC machining of the unibody in Aluminum for the iPhone 7, in high production.Thus we have the basis for the next generation of the iPhone, but perhaps all Apple devices including the iPad, MacBook Pro and other others. The reasoning is very simple, the benefits of Zirconia ceramic are especially useful for any modern computer device.Why is Apple moving to Zirconia Ceramics?StrengthRadio TransparencyHeat Conducton/Dissipation - with Alumina / Aluminum NitrideScratch resistanceEase of manufacturingClearly Apple has reached as far as they could with CNC Aluminum and has reached as to the limits of usability for future iPhones. It is one hinderance to the device becoming thinner, the transverse strength is at the limit. As Apple introduces more advanced chips they will induce more heat and this heat needs to be dissipated efficiently.These issues also apply to the iPad and the MacBook. The strength and thermal exchange rate is quite unmatched. As mentioned above, NASA choose silica (for weight, but also made them very brittle) ceramics used in the 24,000 tile LI-900 thermal protection system to dissipated heat efficiently. It worked very well, but was not perfect. With Zirconia ceramics and the introduction of Alumina and or Aluminum Nitride the heat transfer coefficient will exceed Aluminum alone making the new iPhone the best device to dissipate heat seen thus far [8].The Entire iPhone Casing Is A Battery: Meet Lithium-Ceramic BatteriesThere is a very intriguing possibility that new Lithium-Ceramic [9] battery technology could be implemented in to the actual case material of a future iPhone. This new battery technology allows for a very new and unique way to eliminate a separate battery and to fashion it into the actual structure of the iPhone. Although Lithium-Ceramic batteries are currently not as efficient.A Lithium-Ceramic battery as the entire casing system for a future iPhone would allow for a substantially larger battery more than compensating for the lowered efficiency. This manufacturing technique would be revolutionary and create a thinner and lighter iPhone.Lithium-Ceramic batteries are so resilient they can be cut in half and still operate. They are also a magnitude more safe and recyclable. The safety issue is currently a wide concern when it was discovered the Samsung Galaxy Note7 suffered a ban on airlines and a Consumer Products Safety Commission recall because of a explosion and fire hazard. Lithium-Ceramic batteries would be some of the safest batteries in use.The 10th Anniversary iPhone 8In September 2017, Apple will be releasing the 10th Anniversary iPhone 8. It is my view Apple will use this moment to present a completely new iPhone design that will be revolutionary in many ways. I assert the design language will be based on a more organic shape and design. There will be ergonomic curves that will mold into the new AMOLED display being driven by video chips that simply could not have thermally operated in such a small space with-out heat efficiency of Zirconia ceramics. The iPhone 8 will not just be water resistant but water proof and dust proof to a level never seen before on a smartphone. The lightning port will look more like the Mag-Safe system used on the MacBook Pro devices [10] and mostly use inductive charging. Of course there will be no 3.5mm audio jack.I say this: I hope that in some way Apple always has a reason to include something made of Aluminum, you and I and the rest of the world will miss Jony Ive saying Aluminum.Destiny DelayedI think destiny delayed the shift of the iPhone to this new material and design to correlate with the 10 year mark. I think Apple needs the time to craft and engineer this to a level of artistry and perfection never seen before. I think it will be one of Jony Ive’s crowning achievement. I think it will be one of Apple’s crowning achievements. It will be worth the wait.[1] https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Zirconia+ceramics+wiki&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi4tJ_GpYXPAhVM82MKHZNdBHcQgQMIHDAA[2] https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=martensite-type+transformation&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjt9LaJo4XPAhVC0WMKHTDQCdQQgQMIHDAA[3] http://www.tosoh.co.jp/technology/assets/2012_02_02.pdf[4] Aluminium oxynitride + Star Trek's Transparent Aluminum is Now Real[5] iPhone 6[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiodensity[7] United States Patent Application: 0060268528[7] United States Patent Application: 0150217479[8] Thermal - Thermal Conductivity[9] https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=lithium-Ceramic+battery&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjmqbW-iYrPAhXFGj4KHYINDYoQgQMIHzAA[10] Patent US7762817 - System for coupling interfacing parts + United States Patent Application: 0110038114

The personal communicator.We'll get the easy one out of the way first.While the communicator in Star Trek resembled a futuristic (for the time) walkie-talkie, today's phones can place calls all over the world, and can also exchange text, image and movie files. Furthermore, modern phones have voice recognition and personal contact data built-in, so merely activating the phone and saying, "Call Bill Costello" can result in a correctly interpreted command and a connection made directly with Bill's phone, without the need for any number-dialing, frequency tuning or other undue fuss on the part of the caller or Bill.Further, Lieutenant Uhura was often seen using her console in conjunction with an earpiece when working.Monaural (single-ear) Bluetooth earpieces are now very common, and allow for hands-free use with one's smartphone.Comparing the original communicator with a modern-day smartphone is somewhat of an unfair comparison, though. Kirk's communicator did not need cell towers or boosters to transmit and receive signals across vast distances. The device could communicate with any starship or starbase in orbit of the planet, and sometimes from even further away, with or without line of sight, and with no latency. Even today, we do not have a handheld device that can do that without satellite relay assistance.Transparent aluminum.From Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986):Here's a popular one. This exotic material has been referenced in Star Trek as a strong, transparent material with many useful applications. However the origin of transparent aluminum in the canon of Trek is a classic predestination paradox. It was first referenced in Star Trek IV, in the scene where Scotty and McCoy barter the molecular formula for the substance in exchange for enough plexiglass to fulfill their needs for the aquarium they're trying to build. By handing over the formula to Dr. Nichols—who was assumed to be the material's original inventor—McCoy and Scotty agreed they were not threatening the timeline. Transparent aluminum apparently survived its paradoxical origins, and was later referenced in Star Trek: The Next Generation as an important material used in 24th century starships.What they didn't know is that it was already around in 1986. Aluminum oxynitride was first patented in 1981, by the Raytheon company.Plates of AION, or aluminuim oxynitradeIt's an extremely tough material—it will stop a .50 caliber armor-piercing bullet—and the military is developing it as armor and as windows for delicate optics to peer through. Transparent aluminum is neither metal nor glass, but is actually a ceramic. It's still too expensive to manufacture for widespread use, but had Dr. Nichols been current on technology in the mid-80s when Scott and McCoy paid him a visit, Scotty's offer would have been laughed at. "Transparent aluminum? Somebody else has already patented that. What else you got?"The tricorder.The tricorder is one of Star Trek's most enduring and recognizable technologies, and it is inspiring a new generation of medical technology. In2012, the Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE competition was announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The Qualcomm Foundation has promised a $7 million prize to the team that can develop a single device that can record five core vital signs: blood pressure, heartrate, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate and temperature. It will also be required to detect thirteen health conditions (including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), diabetes, Hepatitis A, pneumonia, stroke, tuberculosis, urinary tract infection and others), along with at least three other "elective" conditions. The competition has even licensed the name "tricorder" from CBS, so the competitors can use it to describe their products without running afoul of copyright.While not a direct contender in the contest, the Scanadu Scout is one company's first step toward a comprehensive "tricorder" device. After blowing away records on Indiegogo and earning a great deal of attention and accolades, the first-edition "investigational" products began shipping in early 2015. Scanadu is currently (as of August, 2015) putting the first generation product through paces in clinical trials, hoping to be granted FDA approval.The product consists of a small handheld device—the scanner—that connects via Bluetooth to a smartphone (Android or iOS), much like the handheld scanner of a medical tricorder on Star Trek. The data is processed and navigable via the app.The Scout is not Scanadu's entry into the XPRIZE competition, but they are developing the product in tandem with their entry, in the hopes that their experience with the product (and its revenues) will help them in development of their ultimate goal: a consumer product with all the functionality of their XPRIZE entrant.The hypospray.In Star Trek, there are no needles. Chemical injections are delivered subcutaneously via painless direct injection without puncturing the skin, even through clothing. In the real world, this is known as jet-injection.Jet-injection has been around since 1960, so it's not really a technology that Star Trek can lay claim to. Perhaps the writers back then were inspired by inventor Aaron Ismach's recognition in 1964, when he was awarded a Gold Medal by the US government for his invention. However his product was not without setbacks: early jet-injectors sometimes acted as carriers of diseases, vaccinating some while actually spreading others. For sanitation reasons the jet-injector has been used very cautiously in the administration of drugs. Modern products, such as the InsulJet pictured above, use new techniques to ensure they don't deliver anything to the patient other than what's meant to be.The replicator.In the 24th century, Federation starships now come standard with a marvelous technology: the ability to create things on-demand from a database of items. All one has to do is tell the replicator what to make, and it arranges a matrix of molecules into the desired item before one's eyes. It can even make consumable food and beverages.... such as, "Tea, Earl Grey, hot."We can't control matter at that level just yet. But we can make things on-demand in a similar way, using 3-D printers.Some of them are even called Replicators.3-D printing isn't quite the same as conjuring up a cup of tea in a shimmer of effervescent light. The way it works is a bit different: it prints very thin, heated plastic layers one over the other, steadily building its object from the ground up rather than carving it out of existing pieces or pouring liquid into molds, the way most conventional manufacturing is done. Because the creation of the element is an additive process, there is no waste of materials. Furthermore, the item can have detailing on the inside that is impossible to produce using conventional methods. It can take several hours to make an item, depending on how detailed its digital model is, and materials used to make them are still a bit limited. There are industrial 3-D printers that can use metals in their assembly, and these are too expensive for anything but commercial use. But these devices will only get faster, more capable and less expensive over time, and will probably soon be as commonplace in the home and office as paper printers are today.In addition to plastic and metal, 3-D printing technology is capable of using biomaterials as well. It is now possible to create new tissue containing blood vessels, replacement heart valves, cartilage constructions such as ears, even new growths of bone out of samples taken directly from the patient. This helps prevent the patient's body from rejecting the new implanted tissue, because it is recognized as native tissue.Handheld computers.In Star Trek, the handheld PADDs that graced the desks of captains and crew were really little more than wireless displays for the ship's computer, with a bare minimum of input controls. The user would interact with the device, but it wasn't usually shown to be capable of much independent processing (although one was hacked to "jailbreak" a certain geneticist out of literal prison once). There were numerous sizes and designs of PADDs, configured for different tasks. Some used styluses, but most were touch-operated.Today the modern tablet computer, with a strong internet connection, is capable of tasks the 20th century writers of Star Trek could barely imagine. Even without a connection to the internet, a contemporary tablet computer is easily as powerful, if not more so, than the glorified PDAs being carted around starships on Star Trek. While the ship's computer was the only one powerful enough—except perhaps Lt. Commander Data—to process and respond directly to voice commands, nearly every tablet and smartphone sold today can do the same, even without being tethered to the Web.Universal translator.One big problem the writers of the original Star Trek had to solve: how do you do a show about the discovery of unknown civilizations without figuring out how to communicate first? All these other alien species won't all know how to speak English. It would make for a dreary show for the crew of the Enterprise to spend months and months meticulously researching and mastering a new alien species' language just to be able to tell them, "We come in peace."But they hit upon a simple solution. Kirk and Spock would almost always be first talking with these species through the Enterprise's communications technology, and that technology could process the transmissions in realtime, translating the aliens' speech to English and the crew's English to the aliens' language fast enough to allow for fluid conversation. The "universal translator" was born: a gimmick to solve the practical communication problem that would only impede the storytelling of the episodes, much like Douglas Adams' "Babel Fish" in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.Technology is catching up. In 2014, Microsoft announced Skype Translator, an algorithm that does in reality what the writers of Star Trek dreamed up merely for their own convenience. Skype Translator is capable of rapidly processing spoken text when it's captured for transmission, and including a computer-generated translation in the receiving party's language.It's not perfect, but very impressive so far. Two people who do not speak each other's language can now have a natural conversation via Skype.In addition to spoken text, technology exists today that can translate visual language with even greater immediacy. In 2010, a smartphone app called WordLens was released, which could process words viewed through the phone's camera and translate it for display on the phone's screen, even without connection to the internet.In 2014, Google acquired WordLens, and later incorporated its functionality into Google Translate.Other technologiesThe main viewscreen of the Enterprise bridge was effectively a large digital flatscreen display. And while live, full-duplex video conversations were science fiction in the 1960s, today this same functionality is built into nearly all desktop computers and mobile devices on the market.Touchscreen controls were featured on all the consoles of the Galaxy-class USS Enterprise in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Today, all modern smartphones and tablet computers feature context-dependent touchscreen user interfaces. Many retail point-of-sale devices and consumer kiosks are commonly operated using touchscreens as well, such as soda machines.The US military has continued to develop laser weapons for battlefield deployment for decades. While not yet reduced to hand-held size, the LaWS laser weapons platform is currently deployed aboard the USS Ponce and has been successfully tested against drones and unmanned watercraft. As of late 2014, the system is considered an operational asset. Smaller versions of the weapon are being developed for installation on Humvees by the Raytheon corporation (the same Raytheon that first patented transparent aluminum).Cloaking technology exists in numerous forms, both theoretical and experimental. One of these techniques, commonly known as active camouflage, covers the surface of a vehicle in LEDs and uses video cameras to "paint" the opposite surface of the vehicle so that an observer is tricked into seeing "through" the vehicle. In 2012, this technology was used by Mercedez Benz in a campaign to promote their hydrogen-powered vehicles.In Star Trek: The Next Generation, small cards of varying sizes (usually about the size of a business card) called isolinear chips were used to store vast quantities of data. Today, solid-state memory cards are ubiquitous in the form of USB jump drives, ranging in capacity up to 2 terabytes.Further readingTransparent aluminum: http://makezine.com/2012/01/17/transparent-aluminum/Scanadu "Tricorder": http://www.cnet.com/news/star-trek-tricorder-becomes-the-real-mccoy/Scanadu product blog: Scanadu |3D printing in medicine: 12 Things We Can 3D Print in Medicine Right Now