This year, we saw the first Apple Watch that can be connected to your cellular provider — the
Apple Watch Series 3 with its eSIM. The gadget allows you to leave your phone at home and still be able to make and receive texts and calls, get and reply to emails, chats, and so on. As for the next generation, it seems Apple is working on doing much of the same, but faster.
In the latest
iPhone 8 and
iPhone X, Apple uses a new type of flexible circuit board made from a liquid crystal polymer. It's employed in the construction of the antenna designs and is lauded for being slimmer, heat- and moisture-resistant, and still capable of much faster data transfer speeds.
According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is looking to employ the liquid crystal circuit boards across its lineups of Macs and the next Apple Watch.
The benefits for laptops are obvious — Apple could get more room to either slim down the PC a bit more, or add a bit more to the battery inside. It is also believed that liquid crystal boards could unlock a future USB 3.2 as they will allow the faster data transfer.
As for the Watch Series 4 — it means faster and more reliable connectivity, which would be a big deal when your phone is not around. Also, the boards' natural resistance to heat and moisture are an extra bit of peace of mind when you sweat over your Watch on a daily basis.
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