Every week we get to peek inside a little corner of Apple's R&D in some capacity. This week we're privy to see that this team has been thinking about a new material that could end up in any number of future Apple products. The material is basically regarded as a composite laminate that could consist of a wide range of materials including glass, synthetics, metals (such as aluminum or titanium) – or even thermoplastics. Apple's patent is as secretive as they are. It provides absolutely no guidance whatsoever as to how they intend on utilizing this new kind of material – though it's commonly used in real-world products ranging from an iPad cover to all manner of sporting equipment like golf clubs to baseball bats to canoes and conceivably bikes, skis and ski boots. All we know for certain at this point in time is that Apple has been granted a patent for supposedly improving the cosmetic surface of this material.