Apple Licenses Alloy Tech From Liquidmetal Technologies

Reports are in that Apple has struck a deal with with Liquidmetal Technologies for access to its intellectual property. According to the company’s website, Liquidmetal Technologies is a leading force in the research, development and commercialization of amorphous metals. The company has apparently developed new metal alloys exhibiting amorphous molecular structure differing from crystalline structures of traditional metals and offer characteristics such as high yield strength, superior strength to weight ratio, and superior elastic limit amongst other things. Considering that many of Apple’s products feature an industrial design, it’s no surprise to see that Apple has an interest in different alloys. Reports of the deal include:

On August 5, 2010, Liquidmetal Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Liquidmetal”), entered into a Master Transaction Agreement with Apple Inc., a California corporation (“Apple”), pursuant to which (i) Liquidmetal contributed substantially all of its intellectual property assets to a newly organized special-purpose, wholly-owned subsidiary (the “IP Company”), (ii) the IP Company granted to Apple a perpetual, worldwide, fully-paid, exclusive license to commercialize such intellectual property in the field of consumer electronic products in exchange for a license fee, and (iii) the IP Company granted back to Liquidmetal a perpetual, worldwide, fully-paid, exclusive license to commercialize such intellectual property in all other fields of use (together with all ancillary agreements, the “Master Transaction Agreement”).

Matthew Chung
Categories: Apple