Not news but interesting to see that Apple is still investing time and money in getting the patents.
What are the community thoughts about Apple geting into 3DP?
https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/apple-full-color-3d-patent-127565/
Apple 3D printer patent granted, like
meh. anything apple makes is highly likely to be confined to their own ecosystem. that makes any apple tech pretty boring to me, personally. i’m split between thinking it would help or hinder the budding ecosystem, but if it helps i don’t see it helping much.
meh. Apple = Locked in, proprietary, expensive and not the best - despite what fanboys think.
Looks like they patented something similar to the xyz colour printer.
It will be locked down, work well, and cost a fortune
They’ll never make one. Just like Microsoft and Google. Apple just makes and buys patents that look like they’ll be of worth later on down the line. Chances are they’re doing this to make some money off of licensing when the technology becomes more available.
Maybe they can take a different perspective blending scanning, AR and 3D imaging/printing but as far as making hardware… It’ll be pretty but will it be functional/big enough? I’m not worried about lock-in because they have to produce g-code. Its the current standard for every kind of printer out there. Its kind of like PostScript.
@Charles-A_Rovira
“Maybe they can take a different perspective blending scanning, AR and 3D imaging/printing”
yeah, i can see apple connecting all the dots like this.
“but as far as making hardware… It’ll be pretty but will it be functional/big enough?”
note that the images are artist renderings - there is no public info to suggest what size it would be or what metrics one might measure its functionality if they ever build one.
“I’m not worried about lock-in because they have to produce g-code.”
there is nothing compelling them to follow this tradition. they could very well refrain from producing/consuming g-code. why not?
“Its the current standard for every kind of printer out there. Its kind of like PostScript.”
notably there were many different printer control languages over the years, such as printer control language versus postscript. nothing is stopping anyone from using a different/better control language for 3d printers.
Will probably need to use Apple filament – and they’ll figure out a way to keep you buying new Apple filament by rendering your previously purchased Apple filament incompatible.
@Jared_Eldredge the images are artist renderings No shit Sherlock, That is a Mac Cube. 
they could very well refrain from producing/consuming g-code. why not? That war was over when IBM gave up on EBCDIC.
there were many different printer control languages over the years Apple will wrapper the driver to specific printers and let the driver handle translation to g-code.
have a look at the patent, impracticable. who cares. better system out already…
@marc_kerger speaking as the owner of four 3D printers, if if fits my needs, I’d give it a try.
That is the most vague patent I’ve ever seen. No hint of machine structure beyond cartesian and they can’t even nail down whether they want to color prints during or after printing. Furthermore Apple hasn’t done much innovation in a few years, if they ever bring a printer to market it will likely be after someone else has perfected the technology. They’ll just use the patent to enable them to release a sleeker looking machine to market without any legal blow-back. The machine will most likely not take gcode files (probably similar to how Markforged does their workflow with a cloud based slicer) and it will only take filament from Apple or 3rd party filament certified by Apple.
@Adam_Steinmark I also detect only 2 pint heads. Sorry but it won’t cut it. I’d need at least WCYMK. anything else its an also-ran.
The printer will cost a small fortune, download files only from iTunes, management will only work through an iPhone 7and it will use chipped Apple filament cartridges that contain limited material. They will sell 1 million of them in 3 hours…
Cynical? Yeah. I’ll just keep making my own and build them for anyone else that wants one assembled.
@Kevin_Twingstrom Or, following some of their latest achievements, it will be locked down, cost a fortune, and not work every time they force a patch/upgrade to it.
I’d love to see a 3D printer that “just works.” I don’t think Apple is the company that can deliver on that.
@Charles-A_Rovira The patent basically describes a standard cartesian FDM printer, but with an extra nozzle that sprays the model with ink/paint, either as the layer is laid down or afterwards. So basically bodging an inkjet cartridge onto it 
@Justin_Mitchell you know, upon reflection, CYMWK (Cyan Yellow Magenta White Black) cartridges which spray their colors only on the visible edges of a 3D print _as it filament is deposited could achieve fairly realistic coloring. (It could even be part of the cooling process for the filament. Currently you have a fan just blowing air after the nozzle.
At 4:30 into the video you will see a printer that does just what is being described. Due for commercial release in 2nd quarter 2018.
Takes special PLA and ink but I’d go for this one if the cost is reasonable.