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Like the article slightly hints at, how about Sapphire for laptops? Could it replace the screen casing to produce thinner screens without shattering? That would be a nice distinguishing factor for the MBP. Let the competitors try to copy that...
 
I know so many "Old-Timers" who are disappointed at apple in the last few years.

Imacs? Used to recommend them, now I don`t.

Yes! I don't get this.

"Look, we made it thinner!"

It's a frigging desktop. ***** do I care if it's thinner? What, people are going to stick a 27" iMac in their pocket now?
 
Yeah... It depends. Many (most?) people probably do not know about sapphire (not that many people own Rolex). Besides, some may be intrigued by Gorilla Glass more than by Sapphire ;) It could be a generational and gender thing.

Everyone knows what a sapphire is. It is a precious stone that costs a lot and goes on a ring. (Actually, they cost less than most folks realize, you get a lot of bang for your buck with a sapphire compared to a diamond). But it immediately invokes the concept of luxury. No way the average person will equate Gorrilla as a more premium product than sapphire.

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I think it's classic Apple... focus on little details others overlook or don't have the resources to address, like MagSafe, unibody enclosures, glass trackpads, multitouch trackpads, magnetic latches, integrated hinges, etc.

You're right in that hairline scratches don't make a big difference in usability, but psychologically, I, and others I know, hate them. Having a truly scratch resistant screen is the kind of detail that will do a lot more than just increase sales; it will engender more loyalty to the brand.

And don't forget resale value. If this is an actual improvement, that two year old iPhone is going to look significantly better when resold. And with Apple 64 bit chips that are barely being taxed by the phone in normal usage, that phone could have a lot of life left in it (once you have the battery replaced, of course).
 
Yeah.. Apple is soooo going leave behind all those other watch makers just because it too makes Sapphire Crystal glass. :rolleyes:

This story is totally stupid bogus rubbish, and I wouldn't claim Apple started a revolution in aluminum manufacturing ONE BIT.

If they launch a watch with Sapphire Crystal glass then Apple will only be behind that idea by several decades.

This story is an assumption based upon Apple's use of aluminum in their products. You know, the association that thanks Steve Jobs for making aluminum cool again.

http://www.aluminum.org/thank-you-steve-jobs

I think it's safe to assume that Apple will do the same with sapphire considering they'll ship wore iWatches in one one weekend than all luxury, sapphire watch makers combined have ever shipped.
 
Never in the history of the world did Apple sell more phones than Samsung....

Nor did he suggest that. While I'm certain he was limiting his comments to smartphones specifically, it doesn't really matter; if Samsung's sales grew faster than Apple's it would be cutting into apples marketshare (even if Samsung was already selling more phones).
 
This story is an assumption based upon Apple's use of aluminum in their products. You know, the association that thanks Steve Jobs for making aluminum cool again.

http://www.aluminum.org/thank-you-steve-jobs

I think it's safe to assume that Apple will do the same with sapphire considering they'll ship wore iWatches in one one weekend than all luxury, sapphire watch makers combined have ever shipped.

ROLF over exaggerate much? And a group that thinks Steve Jobs made aluminium cool and popular? Ok..... And no, they will sell more watches in the first weekend.
 
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It sounds cool and its's suppose to be really durable. It is a benefit for people who abuse their phones. But for people who actually take care of their phones it is unnecessary.

It's certainly an interesting material, but I would still use a screen protector, so in this vs gorilla glass, the differences are largely meaningless.

Naked glass is going to be scratched glass sooner or later, and scratches drive me insane.
 
It's certainly an interesting material, but I would still use a screen protector,

Yes, For people like you who cary large handfuls of lose diamonds in their pockets placing a screen protector over a sapphire screen makes sense. But then not everyone caries so many diamonds. If you only have keys and pocket change you don't boot the plastic cover.
 
If Apple is releasing iPhones with a sapphire screen, I imagine and hope that they'll do it in a way that prevents the screen from breaking easily when dropped. I think it will be a huge hit if there are numerous videos going viral across the internet showing people dropping their iPhones and not a scratch on them. Conversely, it would be a disaster if the screens shattered easier or even just as easy as before.

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Does anyone know if the entire covering will be sapphire or just sapphire laminated to glass. If it's the latter, we're talking a few grams worth of sapphire per iPhone.
 
Sounds like as long as you don't stand on your iPhone with a ring on the sole of your shoe Sapphire is far superior. Check out this funny demonstration by Corning. Funny because they are touting the fact that gorilla glass can withstand 400+ lbs of pressure. Sure, that's great....if you run over your phone, but has no real world practical implications.

http://www.corninggorillaglass.com/gorilla-channel/Corning®-Gorilla®-Glass-vs.-Sapphire
 
Yes, For people like you who cary large handfuls of lose diamonds in their pockets placing a screen protector over a sapphire screen makes sense. But then not everyone caries so many diamonds. If you only have keys and pocket change you don't boot the plastic cover.

Tempered glass actually, not plastic.

And claims are easy. I give it a couple of weeks before the first forum posts of scratches start appearing after the iPhone 6 is released. Diamonds need not apply.
 
Wouldn't it be great if the stage on which they announce the iPhone 6 was covered with gravel, and Cook and company played toss with the new iPhone fumbling it 10 times, not leaving a single scratch on the phone.

The more reading I do, I'm beginning to think we'll see that the new iPhone's screen will be almost impossible to break due to everyday drops.

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One more thought. Apple should offer a trade-in program, where they offer you market value for your sapphire iPhone, as long as there are Zero blemishes on it, and resell these trade-ins into smaller markets. With a sapphire screen and a cover, most iPhones will look new and will need little refurbishing by Apple, even after a year or 2 of use. Clean them up, throw in a new battery and sell them for 20% more than you purchased them for.

I know this is already done on a smaller scale, but with the carriers hating the subsidies they're paying, maybe an expansion of a program such as this would offset the decrease in sales due to broken iPhone screens and it would also get more folks purchasing iPhones in Apple stores, as Cook has continually stressed as being quite important.
 
People ask if using Sapphire screen would give any positive effects on the iPhone. These are what I think:
1. We don't know if Apple will use it for iPhone

2. Even if they did, we don't know how Apple will implement it on iPhone. Will it replace the Glass or will it be fused with Glass or some other methods.

3. Given the above two are unknown, the rest of debates are moot point, am I wrong?

4. Let's say for argument sake, which one is easier breakable, I think the answer is depending on:
a. how the phone gets break: drop? knock? punch?
b. is it for testing purpose or in real life?

Remember, a scratchy glass is more breakable than Sapphire, and glass is easier to get scratch.
 
Tempered glass actually, not plastic.

And claims are easy. I give it a couple of weeks before the first forum posts of scratches start appearing after the iPhone 6 is released. Diamonds need not apply.

You do not have to worry about scratching with sapphire. Only a harder material will scratch it, and there aren't many out there. Breaking is a different story. As someone else said, if you aren't carrying Diamond around with you, it will not scratch. There are decades of trials with watches out there for evidence, even if the physics isn't convincing.
 
They will go whichever way Apple goes. You can count on it.

Really? Most ridiculous statement I have read.

1. S-Pen on a phone? Apple-none yet
2. Big screen phone? Apple follows.
3. Wearable? Apple follows. iWatch nowhere in sight 2 years after Samsung.
4. IR, humidity, temperature sensors, gesture on phone? Apple none yet.
5. Water resistant? Apple - none yet
6. Full suite of health-based apps on phone include heart rate monitor? Apple follows.
7. Notification pulldown with quick toggle? Apple followed. Samsung had this for ages before Apple implemented it.
8. Lock screen unlock by swiping in any direction? Apple copied from Samsung.
9. 4K video recording? 16MP isocell camera? Apple - none yet.
10. Camera shooting mode (front+back shot etc) - Apple none yet
11. Multi-window for apps - Apple none yet.
12. NFC - Apple none yet.
13. LED Notification light - Apple none yet
14. Air gesture, air view, air command - Apple none yet.
15 Motion control - Apple none yet
16. Power saving mode. - Apple none yet
17. Set default applications - Apple none yet.
18. Adapt sound - Apple none yet
 
Really? Most ridiculous statement I have read.

1. S-Pen on a phone? Apple-none yet
2. Big screen phone? Apple follows.
3. Wearable? Apple follows. iWatch nowhere in sight 2 years after Samsung.
4. IR, humidity, temperature sensors, gesture on phone? Apple none yet.
5. Water resistant? Apple - none yet
6. Full suite of health-based apps on phone include heart rate monitor? Apple follows.
7. Notification pulldown with quick toggle? Apple followed. Samsung had this for ages before Apple implemented it.
8. Lock screen unlock by swiping in any direction? Apple copied from Samsung.
9. 4K video recording? 16MP isocell camera? Apple - none yet.
10. Camera shooting mode (front+back shot etc) - Apple none yet
11. Multi-window for apps - Apple none yet.
12. NFC - Apple none yet.
13. LED Notification light - Apple none yet
14. Air gesture, air view, air command - Apple none yet.
15 Motion control - Apple none yet
16. Power saving mode. - Apple none yet
17. Set default applications - Apple none yet.
18. Adapt sound - Apple none yet

1. Apple's entire point by revolutionizing industry with PCAP... No stylus. Youre a pro or enthusiast with specific desires? Get a BLE wacom for your iPad.
2. No. You assume. Ew.
3. Not yet. Everyone has floundered. Will Apple be the first big success?
4. What for?
5. To go swimming with iPhone??
6. No. You assume they will.
7. Ok
8. Huh? Left to right
9. What good is 4k so highly compressed, Samsung's 4k is lower bitrate than over the air 1080p =useless.
10. What???
11 If an app wants to multi-window with different panes, thats up to individual developer. They can. See Tapatalk HD, Twitter, etc.
12 NFC is DOA
13 it has
14 what???
15 plenty of games have motion control
16 standby/sleep/wake button on top
17 nope :( but windows made a mess of it. Still not seen if Android done safer,
18 what???
 
Really? Most ridiculous statement I have read.

1. S-Pen on a phone? Apple-none yet
2. Big screen phone? Apple follows.
3. Wearable? Apple follows. iWatch nowhere in sight 2 years after Samsung.
4. IR, humidity, temperature sensors, gesture on phone? Apple none yet.
5. Water resistant? Apple - none yet
6. Full suite of health-based apps on phone include heart rate monitor? Apple follows.
7. Notification pulldown with quick toggle? Apple followed. Samsung had this for ages before Apple implemented it.
8. Lock screen unlock by swiping in any direction? Apple copied from Samsung.
9. 4K video recording? 16MP isocell camera? Apple - none yet.
10. Camera shooting mode (front+back shot etc) - Apple none yet
11. Multi-window for apps - Apple none yet.
12. NFC - Apple none yet.
13. LED Notification light - Apple none yet
14. Air gesture, air view, air command - Apple none yet.
15 Motion control - Apple none yet
16. Power saving mode. - Apple none yet
17. Set default applications - Apple none yet.
18. Adapt sound - Apple none yet

But what you don't understand is that none of this is important, unless Apple does it.

1. Apple's entire point by revolutionizing industry with PCAP... No stylus. Youre a pro or enthusiast with specific desires? Get a BLE wacom for your iPad.
2. No. You assume. Ew.
3. Not yet. Everyone has floundered. Will Apple be the first big success?
4. What for?
5. To go swimming with iPhone??
6. No. You assume they will.
7. Ok
8. Huh? Left to right
9. What good is 4k so highly compressed, Samsung's 4k is lower bitrate than over the air 1080p =useless.
10. What???
11 If an app wants to multi-window with different panes, thats up to individual developer. They can. See Tapatalk HD, Twitter, etc.
12 NFC is DOA
13 it has
14 what???
15 plenty of games have motion control
16 standby/sleep/wake button on top
17 nope :( but windows made a mess of it. Still not seen if Android done safer,
18 what???

He gets it!
 
Yes, For people like you who cary large handfuls of lose diamonds in their pockets placing a screen protector over a sapphire screen makes sense. But then not everyone caries so many diamonds. If you only have keys and pocket change you don't boot the plastic cover.

Sapphire is still expected to shatter.

The screen protector can hold together the broken shards and debris.

Ive seen multiple shattered phones held together and continued to be quite useable due to screen protector.
 
Really? Most ridiculous statement I have read.

1. S-Pen on a phone? Apple-none yet
2. Big screen phone? Apple follows.
3. Wearable? Apple follows. iWatch nowhere in sight 2 years after Samsung.
4. IR, humidity, temperature sensors, gesture on phone? Apple none yet.
5. Water resistant? Apple - none yet
6. Full suite of health-based apps on phone include heart rate monitor? Apple follows.
7. Notification pulldown with quick toggle? Apple followed. Samsung had this for ages before Apple implemented it.
8. Lock screen unlock by swiping in any direction? Apple copied from Samsung.
9. 4K video recording? 16MP isocell camera? Apple - none yet.
10. Camera shooting mode (front+back shot etc) - Apple none yet
11. Multi-window for apps - Apple none yet.
12. NFC - Apple none yet.
13. LED Notification light - Apple none yet
14. Air gesture, air view, air command - Apple none yet.
15 Motion control - Apple none yet
16. Power saving mode. - Apple none yet
17. Set default applications - Apple none yet.
18. Adapt sound - Apple none yet

Samsung phones are much more feature-rich than the iPhone. Everyone should know that by now. Anyone who denies that is sadly misinformed.

The only difference is that Samsung doesn't seem to put much thought into the features that it chooses to implement in its products. Take NFC for example. NFC has been on Android phones for years. But what good has it done customers? I have yet to see anyone walk into a store and pay for something with their smartphone. The market is just not developed. By the time the market is developed for NFC, those phones are obsolete. What was the effect of including NFC? IMO, Samsung could have made far better use of its time focusing on something else.

So yes, if you put out a laundry list of features, Samsung will come out on top. But as a customer, a laundry list of features are no good if most of those items either don't work or are not that important to customers.
 
Samsung phones are much more feature-rich than the iPhone. Everyone should know that by now. Anyone who denies that is sadly misinformed.

The only difference is that Samsung doesn't seem to put much thought into the features that it chooses to implement in its products. Take NFC for example. NFC has been on Android phones for years. But what good has it done customers? I have yet to see anyone walk into a store and pay for something with their smartphone. The market is just not developed. By the time the market is developed for NFC, those phones are obsolete. What was the effect of including NFC? IMO, Samsung could have made far better use of its time focusing on something else.

NFC is not just for paying. There are many uses. S-beam, automation with tags, sharing etc. Apple TouchID can be used for so many things but as it is now it is so limited. Does it mean TouchID is also a total flop?


So yes, if you put out a laundry list of features, Samsung will come out on top. But as a customer, a laundry list of features are no good if most of those items either don't work or are not that important to customers.

Such familiar rally call by Apple fans - "I can't have it so I don't need it". I bet you once touted TouchID as something magical just because Iphone has it and others dont.
 
The only difference is that Samsung doesn't seem to put much thought into the features that it chooses to implement in its products. Take NFC for example. NFC has been on Android phones for years. But what good has it done customers? I have yet to see anyone walk into a store and pay for something with their smartphone. The market is just not developed. By the time the market is developed for NFC, those phones are obsolete. What was the effect of including NFC? IMO, Samsung could have made far better use of its time focusing on something else.

My daughter uses NFC to pay all the time.

Her husband uses NFC tags to change his phone behavior when he get in his car.

They both use NFC to exchange photos, websites, directions.

Just because everyone doesn't use a feature, does not make it useless. Every smartphone has features that not everyone uses.
 
I have yet to see anyone walk into a store and pay for something with their smartphone.

I see that on a daily basis.

Well, not everyone is paying with a smartphone. Some people pay with a NFC credit/debit card.
 
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