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Apple has applied for a patent for an intense light-absorbing matte black finish for a range of products, including the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and MacBook (via Obviously Apple).
The patent application, filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office, is entitled “Anodized part having a matte black appearance” and describes the characteristics of the finish and the possible manufacturing methods to achieve it. The patent notes that the finish can be used on a range of metals and metal alloys, including aluminum, titanium, and steel.
The finish includes an anodized layer that includes “randomly distributed light absorbing elements capable of absorbing visible light.” The layer contains pores, “where the color particles are infused into the pores.” The resulting surface is a deep and intense matte black.
True black color is extremely difficult to achieve, with most commercial “black” products actually being dark gray or blue. The patent explains that “the mere deposition of dye particles in the pores of an anodized layer is insufficient to impart a true black color”.
One of the issues involved is that, generally, the truer the black, the higher the gloss of the finish, which in turn reflects a large amount of visible light. By etching the surface of an anodized layer with pores, Apple is able to absorb “generally all visible light” to deliver a truer black finish without increasing gloss.
Apple’s solution appears to be equivalent to existing true black solutions such as “Vantablack,” which is one of the darkest substances known, absorbing up to 99.965% of light.
While there are other options such as skins, Apple never offered a matte black MacBook. The company has, however, experimented with a number of matte black finishes on other products, such as the iPhone 7.
Patent applications cannot be taken as proof of what Apple intends to bring to market, and many patented ideas never hit the shelves. Nonetheless, they provide an interesting insight into what Apple is researching and developing behind the scenes.
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