Apple is set to start making products out of carbon fibre and they have called up a cycling carbon fibre expert to help them.As battery life gets longer, holding onto portable devices made of metal and plastic, maybe a thing of the past for future iPads, iPhones and MacBooks.

Instead the new devices could be encased in carbon fibre which is a strong, lightweight material used in formula one cars.

Last week Apple hired Kevin Kenney as Senior Composites Engineer Kenney had in the past consulted to Apple.

Prior to signing up with Apple he had spent 14 years as President and CEO of Kestrel Bicycles, a company that pioneered the building of carbon fibre frames for cyclists and race teams.

Over the past 18 months Apple has experimented in the use of carbon fibre; however the big stumbling block is the cost of manufacturing volume products says analysts.

Experts say it will be at least 2 to 3 years before the industry starts seeing carbon fibre PC products.

Smarthouse was told at the recent Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne that Apple engineers have already spoken to carbon fibre experts from the Mclaren team, as well as design engineers at Ferrari where a lot of work has already been done into composite materials.