Apple Brick rumours building

Some commentators have guessed that the announcement, which is likely to become one of Steve Jobs' infamous 'just one more thing' teasers, would be a new notebook design, or even a refresh of the Mac Mini.

One wag even suggested that Brick would be a new OS and that it was so named because it would 'smash Windows'.

But the latest mumblings from the rumour mill point to something altogether more substantial.

The 'brick' in question is a block of aircraft-grade aluminium and, rather than a new product, we're looking at a new manufacturing process according to some sources within Apple.

The new manufacturing process, which apparently will allow Apple to carve cases and components from a single block of lightweight metal using high pressure water jets and three-dimensional lasers, could be a game changer for the laptop industry.

It means that chassis and cases will no longer have to be folded or joined, adding huge strength and making the next generation of Mac laptops seamless and virtually screwless.

Jobs is no stranger to setting up impressive manufacturing plants having overseen the development and operation of what was once described as "the ultimate computer factory" whilst running NeXT.

Apple is well known for its desire to keep as much of the manufacturing process as possible in house, and this bold move could mean that some processes currently outsourced to China and Taiwan could come closer to home.

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