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Apr 12, 2001
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GT Advanced, Apple's manufacturing partner for its new sapphire glass plant in Mesa, Arizona, has sent a postcard to local residents advertising for open positions at its new facility. A MacRumors reader who lives in Mesa sent us the postcard he received. The new facility is reported to have some 700 employees between both Apple and GT.

The positions are separate from the job openings that Apple posted last week and they are likely for lower-level jobs than the more supervisory Apple roles. Jobs mentioned include Manufacturing Operators and Technicians, Process Engineering Manager, Metrology Manager and more.

gtadvancedcrop.jpg
Right now we're looking for people to join the team behind our new state-of-the-art sapphire material manufacturing facility in Mesa, Arizona. If you can bring excellent technical skills and a collaborative approach, we'll welcome you into a high-performing professional environment where talent and commitment are always well rewarded.
GT Advanced has a full listing of job openings at its Mesa facility on its website, though there is no indication when the factory will begin operation. It is unknown what Apple's plans for the sapphire glass will be, but it's possible the company could be examining the material for displays on the iPhone, iPad or perhaps its rumored smart watch product.

Apple uses small pieces of sapphire glass -- which provides superior durability and scratch resistance to other forms of glass -- to protect the cameras on the iPhone and on the home button for the new Touch ID-equipped iPhone 5s, however this would seem to be an expansion of Apple's sapphire glass efforts. A report from last year suggested that future smartphones may use sapphire, a crystalline form of aluminum oxide, instead of more traditional forms of glass.

Article Link: Apple Partner GT Advanced Recruiting Local Residents for Jobs at Arizona Sapphire Plant
 

AngerDanger

Graphics
Staff member
Dec 9, 2008
5,452
29,002
Prepare for the sapphire iPhone to follow up the gold iPhone.

fCvryrA.png
 
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firedept

macrumors 603
Jul 8, 2011
6,277
1,130
Somewhere!
Good to see Apple keeping some of this here in North America. Will hopefully keep some people employed for some time to come. Good for the economy.
 

Techsys

macrumors newbie
Jan 21, 2014
2
0
The end of the article says "A report from last year suggested that future smartphones may use sapphire, a crystalline form of aluminum oxide, instead of more traditional forms of glass."

Does that mean Sapphire is a form of "Transparent Aluminum"?
 

ghettochris

macrumors 6502a
Feb 19, 2008
773
0
The end of the article says "A report from last year suggested that future smartphones may use sapphire, a crystalline form of aluminum oxide, instead of more traditional forms of glass."

Does that mean Sapphire is a form of "Transparent Aluminum"?

sapphire is just a pretty form of aluminum rust.
 

klaxamazoo

macrumors 6502
Sep 8, 2006
438
0
But aluminum, right? So maybe that joke photo above isn't too off?

No. Aluminum is aluminum metal (Al). Sapphire is Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3). Very different materials. Just like hydrogen gas (H2) is very different from water (H2O).
 

alphaod

macrumors Core
Feb 9, 2008
22,183
1,245
NYC
Hopefully they'll replace the area surrounding the camera with sapphire glass too.
 

bobob

macrumors 68040
Jan 11, 2008
3,437
2,520
That would make a nice sturdy watch face ...

Bingo!

Even though the current cost of a sapphire iPhone screen is estimated to be $30 (and estimated to decrease to $20 within two years), many said it is too expensive - - but a watch face that takes up a tenth of the surface area would be only $2-$3.
 

The Doctor11

macrumors 603
Dec 15, 2013
5,973
1,406
New York
Bingo!

Even though the current cost of a sapphire iPhone screen is estimated to be $30 (and estimated to decrease to $20 within two years), many said it is too expensive - - but a watch face that takes up a tenth of the surface area would be only $2-$3.
:D Bring on the iWatch!
 

ghettochris

macrumors 6502a
Feb 19, 2008
773
0
No. Aluminum is aluminum metal (Al). Sapphire is Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3). Very different materials. Just like hydrogen gas (H2) is very different from water (H2O).

I love how different co2 is from both oxygen and carbon. Dry ice is awesome! -79C, sublimation, doesn't exist naturally on earth etc.

----------

Sapphire surfaces for buttonless devices (iDevices, Macs, ...)?

sapphire keys on keyboards would last a long time. my old wireless keyboard shows some wear.
 

kalsta

macrumors 68000
May 17, 2010
1,675
548
Australia
What a confusing title that is when every letter is capitalised and there's no punctuation. I had to read it about 5 times to work out what it was actually saying. I never understood why people like capitalised headings.

'Apple partner, GT Advanced, recruiting local residents for jobs at Arizona sapphire plant'. Ah, the difference a bit of punctuation and restrained capitalisation makes.
 

davis9981

macrumors newbie
Aug 5, 2013
5
0
Amazing Product

I have a piece of Sapphire glass on my 5s, in terms of strength and scratches I'm blown away how good it is! I work In a very dusty high abrasive environment and my screen still looks as scratch free as the day I got it.

Best $60 I spent.
 

lolkthxbai

macrumors 65816
May 7, 2011
1,426
489
No. Aluminum is aluminum metal (Al). Sapphire is Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3). Very different materials. Just like hydrogen gas (H2) is very different from water (H2O).

Thank you for that. So aluminum rust is the second most durable material before diamonds? Or something like that....?
 

dabirdwell

macrumors 6502
Sep 26, 2002
456
21
Oklahoma
Thank you for that. So aluminum rust is the second most durable material before diamonds? Or something like that....?

Well, crystalline, oxidized aluminum. Let's not forget that there's a huge difference between an amorphous solid like silicon-based glass, and a crystal structure. And if by durable you mean hard, I think that's right on.
 

Tech198

Cancelled
Mar 21, 2011
15,915
2,151
oh.. new eloyees...

What a perfect time :p Right when Apple need this the most...

Is it just me or does "change" seem to happen only when Apple steps in ? Probably for the worst.
 

jjodom1010

macrumors newbie
Jan 22, 2014
2
1
Sounds good and all but...

let me know when they come out with transparent aluminum LoL!!

Sorry, couldn't resist.
 

kesu

macrumors newbie
Jun 30, 2010
6
1
Not sure why Apple wanna setup a Sapphire plant in US?! I mean, almost all Apple's products are manufactured in China/Asia, as well as all the parts. Having the front panel made in US, and then send to China for final assembly just doesn't make sense. What is Apple really trying to do?!
 
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