Awesome. Looking forward for a finally lipophobic smartphone. In fact, in the future all surfaces of consumer electronics and other stuff should be superhydrophobic.
I think there are far better ways to do this on a small object of limited lifespan like a smartphone, not to mention that metal is not an ideal way to make a smartphone. You can use it some surfaces, but at some point you'll need plastic and glass.
"I think there are far better ways to do this on a small object of limited lifespan like a smartphone"
Namely?
Simple hydrophobic coating. It wears out eventually, but by the time it does your device is already gathering dust in a drawer.
Won't it create issues with the smartphone slipping out of your hands way too easily?