iPhone 6 from Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) is rumored since long to be launched in two sizes- 4.7 inch and 5.5-inch, and it was said that while the 4.7-inch version will see its release in September 2014, the bigger version will be delayed till early next year as it was supposed to come with a sapphire glass. The delay was due to the setbacks in the internal testing, and now we have latest news coming that says the sapphire glass will not be used at all in the new iPhone 6.
iWatch may not have sapphire glass
No smartphone cover glass was revealed in the after analysis of the supply chain of the handset and hence it has been confirmed that sapphire glass will not form part of the iPhone 6, according to a report from Telegraph. The fact that the iPhone maker has recently made some good investments in Arizona and Massachusetts-based sapphire glass plants had fueled the rumors that the entire display of the next iPhone would be made up of this synthetically-grown crystal.
LEDinside analysts at the Trendforce have revealed that the material has not been sent by the company for use to the factories involved in the manufacturing of the iPhone 6 ahead of expected launch in September. The launch model is said to use another form of reinforced glass and not the sapphire glass because the yield rates are disappointingly low, and could make place for itself in the future models. Sapphire glass is secondary only to diamond in terms of hardness and hence offers more safety and durability to the device.
Analysts are of the opinion that the sapphire glass would also be expelled from being used in the displays of the iWatch. This is so because it is susceptible to creating problems, when processed with the intention of use alongside flexible OLED panels.
Difficult process to produce Sapphire glass
The negatives attached with the sapphire glass manufacturing are also many. The production is carried out in ‘boules,’ which are cylindrical sticks and is not only slow, but very expensive as well along with being very much energy-intensive, says Hutch Hutchison, who works in the capacity of head of design and concept creation at the British manufacturer Vertu. The said company manufactures the screens for luxury mobiles. “Sapphire crystal is an incredibly tough, high quality material and this makes it perfect for luxury mobile phone screens. It is virtually impossible to damage and it will maintain a perfect, scratch free finish for many years,” Hutch said.
