Apple's Foldable iPhone to Utilize Liquid Metal Hinge, Making Yi'an Technology a Major Winner

Apple's Foldable iPhone to Utilize Liquid Metal Hinge, Making Yi'an Technology a Major WinnerIT Home, March 21 Renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo released a report today stating that Apple will utilize liquid metal extensively in the hinge of its upcoming foldable iPhone to enhance durability, screen flatness, and eliminate crease marks. The report specifies that the advanced die-casting process will be employed in the hinge's production

Apple's Foldable iPhone to Utilize Liquid Metal Hinge, Making Yi'an Technology a Major Winner

IT Home, March 21 Renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo released a report today stating that Apple will utilize liquid metal extensively in the hinge of its upcoming foldable iPhone to enhance durability, screen flatness, and eliminate crease marks. The report specifies that the advanced die-casting process will be employed in the hinge's production. Yi'an Technology is identified as Apple's sole supplier of liquid metal for this application, positioning it as the primary beneficiary of this innovative technology.

Kuo's report details Apple's rationale for choosing liquid metal. While Apple has already used liquid metal in components like SIM card pins, the foldable iPhone will mark its first large-scale adoption in a core structural component the hinge. This signifies Apple's confidence in the material's performance and its commitment to enhancing product reliability and user experience.

Liquid metal's unique properties make it ideal for foldable phone hinges. Compared to traditional metals, it offers superior strength, resilience, and lower frictioncrucial for a component subjected to frequent bending. This minimizes wear and tear, extends lifespan, improves screen flatness, and reduces or eliminates crease marks, resulting in a more pleasant visual experience and longer device longevity.

Kuo predicts this bold innovation will significantly impact the mobile phone industry. He anticipates other Android manufacturers will follow suit, adopting liquid metal hinges for their foldable phones, accelerating the growth of the liquid metal market and creating substantial opportunities for related industries.

The report also estimates the cost of liquid metal in each foldable iPhone at approximately RMB 70-100 (USD 10-14). Given Apple's market influence and the high-end positioning of the foldable iPhone, initial sales are projected to generate RMB 1.5-2 billion (USD 214-286 million) in revenue for Yi'an Technology. This represents a 100-200% revenue increase for Yi'an Technology based solely on the foldable iPhone orders, highlighting its immense growth potential.

Further growth is expected as more foldable iPhones are released and other manufacturers adopt liquid metal. Beyond smartphones, liquid metal's applications extend to consumer electronics, aerospace, and other fields, promising even greater opportunities. As a leading liquid metal company, Yi'an Technology is well-positioned to capitalize on this burgeoning market.

Its worth noting that Barclays analyst Tim Long previously predicted a starting price of USD 2299 for Apple's first foldable iPhone, significantly higher than the current top-tier iPhone 16 Pro Max (USD 1199). This price point underscores Apple's confidence in its technology and its target market, allowing for higher profit margins and further enhancing the value of key components like the liquid metal hinge, solidifying Yi'an Technology's advantage as the primary supplier.

In conclusion, Apple's adoption of liquid metal hinges in its foldable iPhone represents not only technological innovation but also a direction-setting move for the mobile phone industry. Yi'an Technology, as the exclusive supplier, stands to benefit immensely. With the continued growth of the foldable phone market and expanding liquid metal applications, Yi'an Technology's future is undeniably promising. This innovation signifies advancements in foldable phone technology, creates new growth points for related industries, and further drives innovation within the electronics sector. Apple's large-scale adoption of liquid metal will accelerate its proliferation in consumer electronics, creating significant opportunities for companies like Yi'an Technology. As the technology matures and costs decrease, liquid metal's applications will broaden, offering enhanced performance and user experiences. We can expect to see liquid metal's unique capabilities utilized in even more areas, contributing to technological advancement.