Rumors continue to suggest that the next round of MacBook Pros will launch with Ivy Bridge internals. And, as rumored for the iPhone 5, the laptops could also feature Liquidmetal technology.

The Liquidmetal rumor comes from a Slashgear tip off, which claimed to have seen the technology used in a device much larger than the iPhone. The alloy, which was developed by Caltech in 2003 and has been widely used in military, medical and consumer products, is known for its high resistance to wear and tear. Apple currently uses Liquidmetal in the SIM card removal tool. However, the technology wasn't cheap to use in a component that small. Using it in a laptop would be considerably more expensive, so Apple has to have found a way to drive down costs if used.

The technology has not been tested with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which has been a criticism against using the technology in a future iPhone, though a quick look at the iPad suggests the implementation of Liquidmetal isn't impossible: the tablet uses a plastic strip so the device can work with wireless signals.

Another problem with Liquidmetal is that the technology is bad at coping with heat, and MacBooks are already known for getting hot. The thermal conductivity of Liquidmetal is 6 Wm -1K-1, compared to aluminium, which has a thermal conductivity of 35 Wm-1K-1. Apple would have to redesign the internals of the laptops if it wants Liquidmetal technology to cope with the heat.

Liquidmetal is a natural fit for portable devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones, which pick up scratches and dents, and Liquidmetal is more protective than aluminum. The iPhone 4S has been involved in some controversy because of its glass back, which has broken after a single drop in some cases.

Other rumors suggest Intel's Ivy Bridge processors could debut in the next generation of MacBook Pros. Intel launched a range of quad-core Ivy Bridge processors on Monday - April 23 - and leaked reports suggested that some of the chips would launch in late April and early June. A leaked part was the quad-core 45W TDP, which would fit with 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros, and the dual-core 35W TDP, which uses less power and could work with the 13-inch models.

(reported by Jonathan Charles, edited by Dave Clark)