Apple was granted a new patent for the use of LiquidMetal by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday. The company could be planning to use LiquidMetal in conjunction with sapphire glass displays to form an integrated chassis for future iPhone models. 

Apple only recently announced their exclusive contract to use LiquidMetal until 2015. The company has used the material once to make a SIM card ejector tool, but it is rumored that Apple is planning on using it in future iPhone models, according to AppleInsider. 

The material will allow Apple to fix the iPhone sapphire glass display to the device’s metal bezel by injecting the LiquidMetal around its edges, stabilizing the glass display. This prevents the glass from shattering or falling off if the device is inevitably dropped. 

It is unlikely that Apple will use this technology in any products released this year, and 2015 is projected as the earliest that the company could possibly use it in a mass produced product. It is so far untested in mobile devices and will be interesting to see if Apple is able to use the new material in consumer devices in the future.