While currently speculative, rumors suggest Apple is accelerating its adoption of additive manufacturing, specifically metal and aluminum 3D printing, across its product lineup. Building on last year’s successful use of 3D-printed titanium for the Apple Watch and the iPhone Air’s USB-C port, the company may now transition these techniques to other metals for products like its upcoming smartphone models.
This rumor is spreading quickly, just a few days after the official launch of the MacBook Neo, a laptop available for “only” €699 (and €599 for students), which is unheard of at Apple. In fact, the range usually starts at €1,000.
The MacBook Neo (Photo credits: Apple)
But what lies behind this new product? At first glance, the design remains similar, with a refined and lightweight construction. Of course, at this price point, you can’t expect the same performance as existing Macs. The MacBook Neo features an Apple A18 Pro chip, originally designed for the iPhone. So we can imagine that any heavy video work, software processing, or graphics applications will be limited. But Apple’s approach is interesting.
You might ask, what does this have to do with 3D printing? Well, the company has reportedly used a new manufacturing process that uses 50% less aluminum. It’s not 3D printing, but it has prompted the group to take a serious look at existing processes.
The MacBook Neo may have prompted this thinking. According to various sources, Apple is looking into 3D printing aluminum for its smartwatches and certain models of its phones. But it is unclear which parts would be used and in what proportions. All of this is still very vague.
The use of aluminum rather than titanium in additive manufacturing could be interesting in terms of cost and weight, but it is unclear what is really driving the American giant to make these choices. In any case, it is keeping a close eye on the market and looking for ways to innovate. We will keep you informed of the latest announcements!
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*Cover Photo: 3D printed Apple Watch case (Credits Apple)