Well-known names in the computing world—Toshiba, HP Inc.—have begun staking their respective claims in a growing market for 3D-printing technology. Could Apple be next?
Apple does have a reputation for making some of the coolest stuff around. Macbooks, iPhones, Apple TV, Watches. Will they put their “cool” into 3D Printing?
A patent application submitted by Apple shows the company’s at least thinking about it. (A request for Apple’s comment on the application was unreturned.) Of course, it’s one thing to create intellectual property around a product, and entirely another to develop and commercialize it. Still, Apple’s patent application—which was submitted in May 2014 but published last week—is interesting for what it does describe: A 3D printer that could simultaneously print an object and apply color to it.
