iPhone5 to be cased in liquid metal

The iPhone 5, expected to be released later this year, is believed to be cased in a ‘metallic glass’ – otherwise known as Liquid metal, says a Korean news outlet, which cites an inside source on the information.

has signed an exclusive deal with Liquidmetal Techologies Ltd, the inventors of the material

The iPhone 5 case is expected to be 20 times stronger than the current encasement. According to The Register, ‘metallic glass is a metal alloy, but one with the disordered structure of glass’. The material has been around since the 1990’s, but since a new breakthrough in ‘super speed pulse mould technology’, this type of glass, which is as tough as metal, can now be used for phone casings.

An Apple spokesman declined to comment on any rumors and speculation.

The technology giant

. Apple is believed to have paid $11m for the exclusive arrangement.

The part of the new iPhone expected to be made out of metallic glass is the back casing – as opposed to the glass display.

The same Korean news outlet has also predicted that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S3, due to launch on May 3 in London, will be made out of high-tech ceramics.