14 DAY TRIAL // The race is on between Apple, Qualcomm, Sony, Samsung Electronics, Pebble, Casio, Nike, Adidas, Epson, and LG, all big names in the IT industry, each preparing to launch new wearables in 2014, according to a new report.
DigiTimes claims to have learned from the usual industry sources (“from the upstream supply chain”) that “Several wearable devices such as Apple's iWatch and Qualcomm's Toq are reportedly seeing less than 50% yield rates due to difficulties applying surface treatments on their metal injection molded (MIM) chassis, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.”
It is unclear what metal is used in the MIM manufacturing process, although Apple is known to have secured a license to use Liquidmetal, a space-age material, in its products.
The company has yet to use the highly-durable amorphous alloy for big parts making up its products, such as a device’s chassis.