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Apple Working on Curved-Glass iOS Devices for First Half of Next Year?

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Digitimes reports that Apple and other handheld device vendors are making plans to begin releasing devices featuring curved glass in the first half of next year.
Suppliers of the non-Apple camp are working on products with curved cover glass in attempts to gain a competitive edge in the handheld device market dominated by Apple, sources in the glass industry said.

But Apple reportedly also has bought glass polishing equipment for its suppliers in preparation for the production of devices fitted with curved cover glass. Lens Technology, Fuji Crystal, G-Tech are said to be major cover glass suppliers of Apple. While Lens and Fuji focus on iPhones, G-Tech supplies mainly for iPad.
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The publication reported similar claims of curved glass for the iPhone 5 back in May, but those claims have not borne out in either the iPhone 4-like "iPhone 4S" design or the redesigned iPhone 5 seen with a tapered form factor in third-party cases.

curved.jpg



Fourth-generation iPod nano with curved glass (Source: Mail Online)​
The reported timeframe of the first half of next year cited in the new report leads to questions about exactly which product line would adopt the curved glass. The iPad 3 is certainly expected to be introduced within that window, but it is unclear if the next iPhone would also make its debut before the end of June considering the apparent October introduction of the iPhone 4S/5.

Article Link: Apple Working on Curved-Glass iOS Devices for First Half of Next Year?
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2011/09/26/apple-working-on-curved-glass-ios-devices-for-first-half-of-next-year/
Northgrove

Northgrove

macrumors 65816
Aug 3, 2010
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I don't like that the rumors seem to be going towards an iPhone 4S soon this October, and iPhone 5 "sometime ahead, sometime first half 2012". Fortunately I'm not in a hurry, and can't really get a new one until the next year anyway. Not everyone's in that situation though, and I understand you. :p
 
B

Beatbeckham

macrumors regular
Feb 23, 2011
186
1
Norway
Northgrove said:
I don't like that the rumors seem to be going towards an iPhone 4S soon this October, and iPhone 5 "sometime ahead, sometime first half 2012". Fortunately I'm not in a hurry, and can't really get a new one until the next year anyway. Not everyone's in that situation though, and I understand you. :p
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Hehe, my problem is that I just sold my iPhone 4... So, if the iPhone 4S is coming out, I'm gonna be really pissed.
 
R

RazorSharp69

macrumors newbie
Sep 25, 2011
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Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_5 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8L1 Safari/6533.18.5)

Curved glass would look like crap especially on a 4" screen. Dunno why they add it anyway, does it add strength or something if you were to drop it.
 
Yvan256

Yvan256

macrumors 603
Jul 5, 2004
5,081
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Suppliers of the non-Apple camp are working on products with curved cover glass in attempts to gain a competitive edge in the handheld device market dominated by Apple
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They see curved glass as a competitive edge? :confused:

Curved glass will not make you competitive. It's only one part of the design aspect. And the design by itself is not worth much without a good user interface and good integration.

I don't understand these companies. Either they can't see the whole picture or they just plain copy Apple including icons, colors and layout to the point you think it's a no-name Chinese copy.
 
acfusion29

acfusion29

macrumors 68040
Nov 8, 2007
3,128
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RazorSharp69 said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_5 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8L1 Safari/6533.18.5)

Curved glass would look like crap especially on a 4" screen. Dunno why they add it anyway, does it add strength or something if you were to drop it.
Click to expand...

i'm sure it would be a subtle curve.

i think the point of it is so you can see in sunlight better.
 
Q

qtaran111

macrumors member
Jun 15, 2010
97
0
I'm sure Samsung's lawyers are rubbing their hands together at the thought of Apple releasing an iOS device with curved glass.
 
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room237

macrumors 6502
Oct 20, 2008
322
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Queens, NYC
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_5 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8L1 Safari/6533.18.5)

Curved glass back... Hmm... Are you sure there isn't any way we can make them more fragile?
 
kas23

kas23

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Oct 28, 2007
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Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_5 like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8L1 Safari/6533.18.5)

And this folks, will be debuted in the iPhone 5. For those of you who already sold your iPhone 4s, you should have known better. Apple is in no rush to change a device the handily outsells its competitors. That's just not Apple's style.
 
E

electrovir

macrumors newbie
Jul 13, 2011
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Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPod; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Mobile/8C148)

Um.... Why?
 
B

Braindead360

macrumors member
Jan 23, 2008
52
0
I'm going to be so bummed out if Apple releases the 4S and then the 5 a few months later. Especially since it's been 16 months since the iPhone 4 was released. I want my 4" screen dammit!!!
 
A

ARM1968

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Jul 16, 2010
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Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8G4 Safari/6533.18.5)

iOS 5 and iPhone 4s - don't think so!!

iOS 5 and iPhone 5 - hmm, sounds right.

Apple do things right!!
 
P

Plas00

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Jul 11, 2008
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Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_5 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8L1 Safari/6533.18.5)

Curved glass??? Seriously? What are we back to the 70's TVs and they call that innovation?

Curved glass looks like s**t.
 
D

disarticulate

macrumors regular
Jun 21, 2010
174
0
kas23 said:
For those of you who already sold your iPhone 4s, you should have known better.
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Real classy. How about you hold off a couple weeks before you start dishing out the "I told you so."

Also, I've never sold an iPhone for less than I paid for the new model. Have a great day. :D

----------

Isn't Apple in the market for curved glass in the upcoming spaceship campus? Far beyond the scope of mobile electronics glass, but curved glass nonetheless.
 
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J

jouster

macrumors 65816
Jan 21, 2002
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Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_10 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8E600 Safari/6533.18.5)

I still don't think it would be curved in the way the nano is. Rather the curve would be longitudinal, like the first Google phone.
 
MacSince1990

MacSince1990

macrumors 65816
Oct 6, 2009
1,347
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room237 said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_5 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8L1 Safari/6533.18.5)

Curved glass back... Hmm... Are you sure there isn't any way we can make them more fragile?
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Well, a flat-glass back would be more prone to breaking when dropped. So yes, there is.
 
2

2 Replies

macrumors regular
Apr 26, 2010
180
0
Shrink said:
As if, if there were a god, it would give a s***.

Suggest you try praying for something a tiny bit more important than a ***k**g phone!

Just a suggestion, mind you. ;)
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Or pray to the Easter bunny, Santa or Valkyrie. They're just as existent.
(Seriously, prove to me god exists and I'll do the same with Santa or the Easter bunny or the gods of Valhalla.)


On topic though... No thanks to curved glass.
(Though I wouldn't be surprised, since Apple tends to prefer form over function.)
 
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Riemann Zeta

macrumors 6502a
Feb 12, 2008
661
0
Isn't the point of a capacitative screen to have a smooth, flat crystal surface that is very precise and responsive to touch? Wouldn't a slightly spherical crystal (like the old CRT tube TV glass) completely fail in achieving this? Having spherical glass would cause planar image distortion at the edges (like a CRT) and would also mean that different parts of the glass would have different touch sensitivity (due to the center of the glass being farther away from the touch sensor than the edges). Bad idea, 'nuff said.
 
Cydonia

Cydonia

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Feb 25, 2009
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Riemann Zeta said:
Isn't the point of a capacitative screen to have a smooth, flat crystal surface that is very precise and responsive to touch? Wouldn't a slightly spherical crystal (like the old CRT tube TV glass) completely fail in achieving this? Having spherical glass would cause planar image distortion at the edges (like a CRT) and would also mean that different parts of the glass would have different touch sensitivity (due to the center of the glass being farther away from the touch sensor than the edges). Bad idea, 'nuff said.
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Apple R & D have jet crapped their pants after reading this! /s
 
A

adildacoolset

macrumors 65816
Sep 5, 2011
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RazorSharp69 said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_5 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8L1 Safari/6533.18.5)

Curved glass would look like crap especially on a 4" screen. Dunno why they add it anyway, does it add strength or something if you were to drop it.
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A curve does add strength. Just think, why are water dams curved? In fact, curves are extremely tough
 
S

sn

macrumors 6502
Apr 22, 2011
309
37
Shrink said:
As if, if there were a god, it would give a s***.

Suggest you try praying for something a tiny bit more important than a ***k**g phone!

Just a suggestion, mind you. ;)
Click to expand...

for something you don't even this exists, you seem to have a pretty clear idea of what it does and doesn't care about!
 
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