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Rumors have suggested that Apple is using the sapphire garnered from its partnership with GT Advanced to produce sapphire crystal displays for the iPhone 6, and if true, such a move would normally inspire competitors to produce their own devices with sapphire displays.

It does not appear, however, that other major smartphone manufacturers are ready to adopt sapphire as a display solution, due to the expense of the material and its quality compared to the more popular Gorilla Glass.

Engadget, in an in-depth piece on sapphire displays, contacted multiple representatives from major smartphone companies, who had researched sapphire as a possible material and largely decided against it. LG, for example, said the material was too expensive.
"The cost and supply aren't where we'd like them to be for sapphire to be practical just yet," said Ken Hong, Global Communications Director for LG. "Sapphire's durability and scratch-resistance are certainly attractive, but Gorilla Glass isn't going to be displaced anytime soon."
Sapphire is astronomically expensive compared to alternatives like Gorilla Glass, with a pane costing $30 compared to $3. Apple's partnership with GT Advanced has allowed Apple to help fund advanced sapphire production methods that significantly lower manufacturing costs, however, a feat that most manufacturers will be unable to match.

A look at how GT Advanced produces sapphire
Sapphire is an appealing option due to its extreme hardness and its scratch resistance. Rated at a nine on the Mohs hardness scale, few materials aside from diamond can scratch sapphire, but as one representative pointed out, sapphire is highly brittle. "The sapphire is too hard to withstand bending. It's easier to break during drop tests when the size of sapphire increases."

Gorilla Glass manufacturer Corning has heavily criticized sapphire for the same reason, noting that its own product can withstand 2.5 times more pressure. Corning has also pointed out that Gorilla Glass is cheaper, far lighter, and more environmentally friendly as it takes less energy to produce. Sapphire also transmits less light, making it both dimmer and less clear unless specially treated.

strengthtest.jpg
Strength test conducted by Corning, showing sapphire shattering at 161 pounds while Gorilla Glass survives​
Yet another representative suggested that sapphire simply doesn't make sense except from a marketing standpoint, which would certainly work for Apple as a way to distinguish itself as a more luxury smartphone option. Apple has always stood out from other manufacturers with its insistence on quality over price, setting it apart as a premium brand.

Though rumors have indicated Apple is planning to use sapphire displays in its smartphones, it remains unclear if the iPhone 6 will indeed feature a sapphire screen. It is possible the company's sapphire is reserved for a different project, the iWatch, and it is also possible, based on circulating rumors, that only the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 will be equipped with a sapphire display.

Either way, it's likely we will get our first glimpse of an Apple product that utilizes sapphire crystal later this year and as Engadget points out, it is likely that manufacturers will take advantage of sapphire for products like smart watches, later transitioning to larger products as supply techniques and production improve.

Article Link: Smartphone Manufacturers 'Lukewarm' on Sapphire, Call Material Impractical Due to Cost and Supply
 

bpeeps

Suspended
May 6, 2011
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Well maybe the price of the phone will actually be somewhat worth it with the expense of sapphire.
 

drewu

macrumors member
May 1, 2011
42
0
England
Just my 2 pennies: But I am far more likely to drop the phone, than put 161lbs on it.

I think (for me at least) it comes down to which performs better for accidental drops and scratch resistance. Which is a bit of catch 22, as the Gorilla Glass is better for drops, and sapphire is better for scratches :/
 

SilianRail

macrumors 6502
Feb 24, 2011
352
56
The iPhone + 2 year contract is going to run you around $2,000. The $27 screen premium represents an infinitesimal 1.4% price increase. There are a lot more than 1.4% of iPhones being used with a cracked screen.
 

usarioclave

macrumors 65816
Sep 26, 2003
1,447
1,506
How does the "sapphire is brittle" comments fit with that ultra-bendy screen? Either that isn't sapphire, or Apple found a way to make it flexible and clear?
 

El Hikaru

macrumors regular
Dec 3, 2013
221
79
When Steve introduced SSD, he was to charge $999 for like 60+GB. Now, SSD is everywhere.
I think my toilet window glass will be replaced with a sapphire sheet sometime in the future.
Sometime in the future.
I like the picture of the sapphire factory because it reminds me Breaking Bad.
 

LordVic

Cancelled
Sep 7, 2011
5,938
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This is why Apple is and will always be ahead.

Because they use technologies that are more expensive for marketing, sales and "image" rather than what is actually best for the consumer and the device?

Unless GT AT and Apple have some secret manufacturing technique they're not sharing with anyone else in the world, the concerns that people are raising against sapphire screen for the iphone aren't unjust.
 

jclo

Managing Editor
Staff member
Dec 7, 2012
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How does the "sapphire is brittle" comments fit with that ultra-bendy screen? Either that isn't sapphire, or Apple found a way to make it flexible and clear?

Exactly. There's a good possibility that the front panel seen in videos isn't sapphire, or that Apple has a special manufacturing technique.
 

phillipduran

macrumors 65816
Apr 30, 2008
1,055
607
How does the "sapphire is brittle" comments fit with that ultra-bendy screen? Either that isn't sapphire, or Apple found a way to make it flexible and clear?

This is what I'm thinking. I hope Apple opened a can of innovation onto the sapphire screen industry. It will be interesting to watch the new iPhone announcement when it comes.
 

LordVic

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Sep 7, 2011
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How does the "sapphire is brittle" comments fit with that ultra-bendy screen? Either that isn't sapphire, or Apple found a way to make it flexible and clear?

Yes. One of the two.
there's no confirmation yet at all that the screen on the iPhone 6 is going to be sapphire. Thats a lot of speculation at this point.
 

axonic labs

macrumors member
Feb 28, 2007
83
0
Who cares what smartphone manufacturers want, doesn't it ultimately depend in what consumers want?
 

\-V-/

Suspended
May 3, 2012
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How does the "sapphire is brittle" comments fit with that ultra-bendy screen? Either that isn't sapphire, or Apple found a way to make it flexible and clear?
Yeah... that didn't make much sense. They call it "brittle" and yet, in the comparison, it's only a 20% difference in durability. 161 pounds of bendy-ness doesn't seem particularly "brittle" to me. The comparison was also done on a hypothetical screen in which they have no clue how it will be manufactured/implemented. We don't even know if the next iPhone will even have sapphire displays.

Just sounds like sour grapes to me, which... from previous observation... does nothing to Apple.
 

mabhatter

macrumors 65816
Jan 3, 2009
1,022
388
It would seen sapphire is better for an iWatch. It's strapped to your wrist where you get lots of wear, but you're not really going to drop it often. It would be easy to form the watch size pieces right out of the oven making them very durable.

Whatever Apple is going to do, it will be huge, bigger than anybody else has in the works.
 

critter13

macrumors 6502
Aug 23, 2010
374
477
if the biggest argument against is cost then obviously it will be welcomed upgrade. apple is notorious for not cutting into margins and with the GT partnership they must have been able to alleviate the cost concerns.

drops that cause cracks and shattering are where the improvements needs to come. my iPhone 4s has taken quite a beating but the display has never scratched. replaced the front glass twice from drops though.
 

Stephen123

macrumors regular
Sep 3, 2007
184
11
Based on the leaked videos of iPhone 6 screens, this whole article is quite out of date. It looks like Apple is doing a super thin (thin enough to be flexible) layer of sapphire on top of a sheet of flexible glass. Based on the videos they’ve solved the brittle issue and the clear issue, and have a scratch proof, impact resistant surface. We don’t yet know about price. And apparently running over the sheet with a car is bad but hitting it with a hammer is OK, which implies something to do with total pressure and surface tension.
 

macjonny1

macrumors 6502a
Jan 10, 2006
554
117
Breaking news: Manufacturers of less expensive phones want their products to remain less expensive.

best advantage of sapphire glass is scratch resistance.

Apple should continue to manufacture high quality phones with superior materials.
 

1Zach1

macrumors 65816
Feb 8, 2008
1,210
746
Northern Va
I have no dog in this fight but I'd have a hard time blindly believing the results Corning has with GG vs Sapphire, as they have a vested interest in the results.
 

Swift

macrumors 68000
Feb 18, 2003
1,825
964
Los Angeles
Gee how surprising

A new type of glass? Well, then, Corning's going to say this is no good. The other manufacturers won't have this so it must be bad. And of course, this is a patented process from the company they bought. So have fun.
 

LordVic

Cancelled
Sep 7, 2011
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Then why would I want it on a bigger iPhone?

most current uses of Sapphire aren't even as big as a cell phone.

The current gen of phones basically only uses it for the lense of the camera and the touchID on the 5s.

Watches tend to be the biggest consumer product using Sapphire glass, and most watches aren't much bigger than 1-2" diamater of the face.

We're talknig about moving here to 4-6" worth of glass, while being only a few Milimeters thin
 

critter13

macrumors 6502
Aug 23, 2010
374
477
Yeah... that didn't make much sense. They call it "brittle" and yet, in the comparison, it's only a 20% difference in durability. 161 pounds of bendy-ness doesn't seem particularly "brittle" to me. The comparison was also done on a hypothetical screen in which they have no clue how it will be manufactured/implemented. We don't even know if the next iPhone will even have sapphire displays.

Just sounds like sour grapes to me, which... from previous observation... does nothing to Apple.

also there are many forms of sapphire and many treatments for it that alter the properties. just like glass. all those claims are with materials that are not exact to what will be on the iPhone. I have a hard time believing that apple spend the money to invest in sapphire if it wasn't a sure upgrade.
 

afsnyder

macrumors 65816
Jan 7, 2014
1,270
33
and then you have the video from the other day where he bends the crap out of the sapphire panel and nothing bad happens... so Apple has indeed fixed the issues with sapphire displays..
 
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