Will There Ever Be an Apple 3D Printer

Apple keeps a lot of secrets behind their doors. Holding several patents, including one for bendable phones and their own version of an augmented reality glasses. But that’s all the information we’ve got so far. Apple loves to keep their new developments a secret until the actual product launch. And with the recent rise in popularity of 3D printers, especially in the consumer market, it makes us wonder if Apple has plans in making their own line of 3D printers.

3D printers available today are mostly designed to be used by business and hobbyists. While newer releases are somewhat cheaper and more widely available than in the past, they are still aren’t that user-friendly. Sure, a common household can now afford one, but if they don’t know how to use it that well, why buy it? This wouldn’t change anywhere in the future until a company innovates the 3D printer, and who would better do it than Apple?

Apple is known for its flair for innovation and great design. There is no single Apple product that isn’t pleasing to the eyes. Having Apple design their own 3D printer could potentially bring them to new heights. 3D printers in the market today are geared towards industrial use, hence their design is usually not the manufacturer’s priority. They prioritize cost and functionality above anything else, resulting in a rustic, unappealing design.

The software and interface also aren’t designed for an average Joe. Apple would be able to innovate the 3D printing market and make a machine that is both beautiful and functional, and looking at their current line of devices, you expect it to be sleek, almost an object of art all by itself.

A 3D printer from Apple is likely to be available soon as they recently filed a patent for a multi-color 3D printer, which is already an innovation by itself in a market filled with 3D printers capable of printing only one color. It is said to paint the object while printing, thus enabling it to remove the stigma that 3D printing is limited to printing prototype. With a 3D printer from Apple, you could print the actual products themselves.

As soon as Apple release their own 3D printer, 3D printing would be widely accessible to household. It could completely change the market all by itself. Imagine being able to make anything you want with just a touch of your hand and some “ink” cartridges. It would completely eliminate the need for a physical store, as well as the need for stores to keep stocks. Everything would be made to order. Not only that, it would also give consumers the power to create their own projects, giving them creative power like all other iDevices.

For now, we just have to wait. As the 3D printing is fairly new in the eyes of the consumer, developments in this area is fairly slow. There is a limited number of companies willing to let the consumer manufacture their own products, so it might take a while before you’ll be able to print anything useful. But who knows, maybe Apple already has a plan in place? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.