Apple moulds Microsoft's Zune

 

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By Simon Aughton, Nik Rawlinson

Posted on 2 Mar 2007 at 11:02

Apple has been granted a patent for the moulding technique used to manufacture Microsoft Zune's distinctive two-colour casing.

The 'Housing of an electronic device formed by doubleshot injection molding' patent was approved yesterday and describes a method for a two-shot injection of a plastic material that 'allows for a thinner walled enclosure that uses less materials and allows for added structural features that would not be possible using traditional molding techniques'.

The process, 'generally includes forming one or more walls of an enclosure with a first shot and thereafter forming the remaining walls of the enclosure with a second shot. During the second shot, the walls fuse together thereby forming an integrally moulded enclosure that is one piece.'

Apple applied for the patent in August 2005, more than a year before the Zune's release and several months ahead of Microsoft's announcement that it planned to release its own portable media players to compete with Apple's iPods.

Apple uses doubleshot injection molding for both iPods and iMac desktop computers, which have a clear shell over a black or white layer.

Zuney, a site that reports on developments in the Zune market from a pro-Zune viewpoint, called it 'bad news' and said that 'Apple is stealing Microsoft's idea which in my opinion will post [sic] a little threat to the Zune's sales.'