Apple Granted Patent That Could Allow for Truly 'Matte Black' iPhone, MacBook, Apple Watch Models: Details

Anodised metal that is black in colour usually appears glossy and reflects light instead of absorbing it, but Apple's latest patent hints at a solution.

Written by David Delima, Edited by Siddharth Suvarna | Updated: 6 September 2023 17:37 IST

Apple Granted Patent That Could Allow for Truly 'Matte Black' iPhone, MacBook, Apple Watch Models: Details

Photo Credit: Julian O'hayon

Apple is yet to announce plans to launch new products with a dark matte black finish

Highlights

Apple latest patent might let it create 'truly' matte black devices
The US Patent office published the patent document on September 5
Apple will enable an anodised metal surface to absorb incidental light

iPhone and MacBook models could arrive in new matte black colour options in the future, as the Cupertino company was granted a patent that could allow the company to produce a dark version of its smartphone, laptops, tablets, and smartwatches, according to details shared in the patent document issued by the US Patent Office (USPTO) on Tuesday. While original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) including Apple have launched devices with matte finishes in the past, creating one with a dark colour — such as black — has proved to be challenging.

US patent 11751349-B2, titled "Anodised part having a matte black appearance" was granted to Apple on Tuesday and the USPTO credits James Curran, Aaron Paterson, and Sonja Postak as the inventors of the technology. The document that was published by the patent office also reveals that Apple filed the application for the patent in May 2020.

Apple's latest patent refers to the use of an anodised part that comprises both a metal substrate and an anodised layer that is created from the metal substrate. The company has designed the anodised layer to utilise light-absorbing features that are located at varying locations and can absorb light that falls on the surface of the device's enclosure. Apple details plans to etch the surface of an anodised part to create these light-absorbing features.

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In order to impart colour to the anodised layer, Apple describes the use of "pores" on the surface that have particles of colour infused in them. The patent document claims the anodised layer will have a CIELAB L* value that is lower than 10. This means that the appearance of the product's surface would be nearly black, but with a matte finish.

Figures 6A, 6B, 7A, and 7B depict the etched anodised part under an electron microscope
Photo Credit: USPTO/ Apple

Many manufacturers have tried to create devices with a matte finish that is nearly black in colour, but most efforts have failed — anodised metal that is black in colour appears glossy and reflects large amounts of light instead of absorbing it. Apple has provided details of how the company managed to create a truly black device with a metal finish in the patent document.

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Further reading: Apple patent, iPhone, MacBook, Apple Watch, iPad, Apple design, Patents, USPTO, Apple

David Delima

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As a writer on technology with Gadgets 360, David Delima is interested in open-source technology, cybersecurity, consumer privacy, and loves to read and write about how the Internet works. David can be contacted via email at DavidD@ndtv.com, on Twitter at @DxDavey, and Mastodon at mstdn.social/@delima. More