Future iPhones, iPods, and other Apple-flavored gadgets may be made out of "amorphous" metal alloys thanks to a deal that Apple has made with Liquidmetal Technologies. Liquidmetal revealed that it has entered into an exclusive agreement with Apple via an 8K filing it made with the Securities and Exchange Commission, giving Apple access to its entire intellectual property portfolio.

Liquidmetal's technology is used in the fields of sports, medicine, space, jewelry, and of course, electronics. Whereas a typical metal has a crystalline atomic structure (a repeating pattern of crystals), an "amorphous" metal alloy basically has no crystals. This allows manufacturers to tweak the precise configuration of the alloy without worrying about the usual structural or strength limitations.

As such, Liquidmetal brags that its products are not only strong and resistant to impact/fatigue, they are also lighter than comparable products made out of normal metals.

The agreement between the two companies was signed last Thursday, but was not revealed until the publication of the 8K this morning. Liquidmetal's technology has previously been used in Nokia and Sandisk products, but no more—Apple now has "perpetual, worldwide, fully-paid, exclusive license to commercialize such intellectual property in the field of consumer electronic products."

In addition to potential uses in Apple's handheld gadgets, the company may also put the amorphous metal alloys to good use in its popular notebook line. MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs have already gotten stronger and more durable thanks to Apple's decision to switch to unibody enclosures, but notebook users usually welcome stronger and lighter machines whenever possible.