With scratches and dings more than just commonplace in iDevice ownership, Apple may be tinkering with newtechnologies that will reduce the unsightly blemishes that adorn our ubiquitous mobile gadgets. According to information made public this week, The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has awarded ownership of a "scratch resistant metal device coating" to Apple.

U.S. Patent No. 7896981 is described as "Nitriding stainless steel for consumer electronic products." According to the patent's "abstract" summary, the coating represents a "cost effective system, method and apparatus adapted to provide a nitride layer on stainless steel used for the manufacture of consumer electronic products."

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