FollowHTC, it seems is toying with the idea of using liquidmetal technology in its future smartphone devices. The news which first appeared at Digitimes claims HTC to be in talks with Jabon International to source liquidmetal chassis to be used in the former’s future smartphone lineup.
However, both HTC and Jabon have declined to make any comment on the issue. The report further mentioned HTC to have invested in an R&D setup to come up with the smartphone which could reach markets towards the second half of the year. Apple too had in the past made known their intention of using liquidmetal technology in an iPhone variant though nothing much has come to light so far. If HTC indeed manages to launch a smartphone in the later half of the year based on liquidmetal technology, it would lead to HTC going one up on Apple.
As for the technology itself, Wikipedia describes it as something that has ‘high tensile strength, excellent corrosion resistance, very high coefficient of restitution and excellent corrosion resistance’. Needless to say, the use of such a metal in smartphones will add to their durability and rigidity, making them more rugged than the current crop of smartphones now available. The current Samsung flagship, the Galaxy S4 is made of plastic with experts claiming it to be prone to breaking up easily if it falls on the ground. Samsung is also accused of using low quality material in the Galaxy S4. The HTC One, in turn boasts of aluminum unibody construction which fares better in a drop test.
An smartphone from HTC using liquidmetal construction will be an interesting addition to their line up. Let’s just hope we get to know the real stuff soon enough.
