GT Advanced Reportedly Producing Between 1.3 and 2.2 Million Sapphire Displays for 5.5-Inch iPhone 6

[MacRumors]

Apple partner and sapphire glass manufacturer GT Advanced is estimated to produce anywhere from 1.35 to 2.25 million sapphire covers for the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 by the end of 2014, according to a report from Digitimes Research.

GTAT started sapphire production in August 2014 and expects revenue contributions from sapphire to begin in the fourth quarter, and Apple's fourth down payment is due in October 2014, these conditions signal that GTAT's sapphire production will not reach a large scale by the end of 2014, Digitimes Research indicated. However, GTAT is likely to ship sapphire at a large volume beginning the first quarter of 2015.

A yield of only 1.35 to 2.25 million sapphire glass covers for the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 would likely mean that Apple would delay the launch of the larger device until next year or release it in extremely limited quantities.

Such a small yield would also contrast earlier reports about the iPhone 6's record-setting initial production run, as Apple was said to be preparing between 70 and 80 million 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 units for this year. Reports of Apple's production issues with the 5.5-inch iPhone 6's display and metal casing may also suggested that the larger device will launch in 2015.

Analyst estimates of the use of sapphire in the iPhone 6 have varied widely, with some claiming that the material will only be limited to high-end versions of the iPhone 6, while others have stated that Apple will have more than enough supply for all models.

Previously, Digitimes Research claimed that GT Advanced would only be supplying 9% to 16% of iPhone 6 sapphire displays, or roughly 6.3 to 11.6 million cover units. Those numbers were discredited by analyst Matt Margolis, who discredited the repot due to a lack of any specific revenue disclosures from GT and unrealistically high estimated cost per display.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 6 on September 9. It is most certain that the company will reveal the 4.7-inch version at its event, however it is unknown if the 5.5-inch version will also be revealed. Both models will likely feature a thinner profile, a faster A8 chip, an improved camera, and more.

Article Link: GT Advanced Reportedly Producing Between 1.3 and 2.2 Million Sapphire Displays for 5.5-Inch iPhone 6

 

[farewelwilliams]

of course this comes out right after I sold my shares at $18.

 

[PFKMan23]

Welp. My money is still in the camp that the iPhone 5.5" will be a delayed relese, but now the plot thickens.

 

[mohdamerul]

only Apple has short supply whereas Samsung produce thousand of different phone throughout year.

 

[goobot]

only Apple has short supply whereas Samsung produce thousand of different phone throughout year.

Pretty sure apple sells way more phones.

 

[mdridwan47]

What aboot iPad?

 

[Serban]

so this doesn't mean that GT Advanced isn't already producing sapphire display for the 4.7" also

 

[One Bad Duck]

I don't believe this. GTAT reinforced guidance last quarter. There's no way they going to meet predicted revenue without more than a million sapphire screens for the 4.7.

If this was a controlled Appke leak to temper expectations it would have been through WSJ or a website with proven track record.

GTAT said they started "mass production" in July/August but they had started making sapphire as early as March according to Matt.

I'm calling BS on this Digitimes

 

[alitarbegshe]

Digitimes "reports"

Enough said.

 

[xNAILx]

I find this report confusing... Is there any actual information provided other than the last of the payment is in October? Is it known exactly the purpose of the payment? Was it for actual sapphire or was it for apple to buy equipment for GT? What makes sense to me would be that it is for actual sapphire which would be the final payment for contract completion around October and that it was agreed to be fronted so early so that the infrastructure required would be built... I dunno.

 

[ValSalva]

More likely the sapphire glass will not be in any iPhones this year. It may be on the wearable thingy yet announced but there does not seem to be any indication of enough supply for any iPhone line, this year.

 

[iPhysicist]

Analysts would you please start using you brain?

Who started the nonsense 'only for higher end models' discussion? Are there higher end iPhones out now? You can by 3 different quantities of flash memory, but the phone around is the same.
It would absolutely make no sense to put a quality gradient on the iphone price because everyone will say the 600US$ iPhone is cheap and thats false.
I don't want to start a discussion about the 5c. In my eyes its absoloutly unclear how it will play out maybe it was a start for an entry iPhone or maybe not. Its the 6 that in a non-standart Analysit space is going to be fragmented and I don't think this space even exists.

 

[DoubleU]

Digitimes has already been shown to be guesstimating the number of sapphire screens being produced so them knowing the specific number for one particular size of iPhone seems dubious.

 

[Mattsasa]

if this is true...

how in the world is apple going to release the 5.5inch iPhone 6 in 2014?

no way 1.3-2.2 million would be enough

 

[Milese3]

I recon no iPhones will launch with a sapphire display in 2014. I think Apple is likely to ship the 5.5" model, just without the display.

 

[newyorksole]

This whole thing is a MindFu*K !

Apple knows exactly what they are doing . They're not scrambling at the last minute . They know whether or not they're putting Sapphire on this year's iPhone(s) . We just have to wait a few weeks and see ...

 

[engg2000]

It's obvious that the display will not be sapphire. It will be the latest generation Gorilla Glass...From what I've read, Gorilla glass has superior qualities for the display anyway.
Sapphire will be used for the iWatch, the Camera lens cover on all iPhone 6 models, and likely, the home button to improve the fingerprint scan.

engg2000

 

[Michael Goff]

Pretty sure apple sells way more phones.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2091940/global-smartphone-shipments-topped-1-billion-in-2013.html

Samsung sells more phones.

 

[theBB]

More likely the sapphire glass will not be in any iPhones this year. It may be on the wearable thingy yet announced but there does not seem to be any indication of enough supply for any iPhone line, this year.

The amount of revenue GT expects in the short term is too high to be from a wearable order.

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.From what I've read, Gorilla glass has superior qualities for the display anyway.

Was it written by Corning? I got the impression that price is the only advantage, but Corning basically claims that Gorilla Glass is almost as good at a lower price.

In any case, scratch resistance does not impress me that much, as I've never had an issue with scratches. If it increases shatter resistance, that could be nice, as I've seen many shattered screens. Still, I'd take waterproofing over a stronger screen.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2091940/global-smartphone-shipments-topped-1-billion-in-2013.html

Samsung sells more phones.

Facts are no good around here. Someone will just come back with "smart phones".

And if some fact says Samsung sells more "smart phones", someone will come back with "4" smart phones".

And if some fact says Samsung sells more 4" smart phones, someone will come back with "4" smart phones with a fruit logo"

And if you can show some fact that even that is not true, about 5 people will call you a troll and try to turn the point with something like "but who makes the most profitable smart phone" or similar.

 

[myforwik]

1 million is not enough screens for launch.

However it would be enough for many many millions of camera lenses, Touch ID sensors, and possibly even iWatch faces.

Either way it does look at all possible that iphone6 will have sapphire display.

 

[Kissaragi]

only Apple has short supply whereas Samsung produce thousand of different phone throughout year.

because using a CNC machine to rout out cases from blocks of rough cast aluminium is just as fast as casting plastic for the galaxy phones.

 

[grjj]

DigitTimes is usually wrong

They don't seem to have any idea about what Apple or its suppliers are up to.

Here's an article that revisits 25 claims DT made about Apple from 2007-2012.
http://techland.time.com/2012/05/14/digitimes-apple-rumors/

Result: DT is usually wrong or severely wrong on the timeframes. I wouldn't bet any money based on what they write about Apple.

----------

This whole thing is a MindFu*K !

Apple knows exactly what they are doing . They're not scrambling at the last minute . They know whether or not they're putting Sapphire on this year's iPhone(s) . We just have to wait a few weeks and see ...

Look up the story about the initial iPhone release, here's one version:
http://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jobs-new-iphone-screen-2012-1

Don't think that Apple can't, won't and hasn't switched major product components very close to release dates.

 

[newyorksole]

They don't seem to have any idea about what Apple or its suppliers are up to.

Here's an article that revisits 25 claims DT made about Apple from 2007-2012.
http://techland.time.com/2012/05/14/digitimes-apple-rumors/

Result: DT is usually wrong or severely wrong on the timeframes. I wouldn't bet any money based on what they write about Apple.

----------



Look up the story about the initial iPhone release, here's one version:
http://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jobs-new-iphone-screen-2012-1

Don't think that Apple can't, won't and hasn't switched major product components very close to release dates.

Ehhh but the original didn't go thru this complex of a manufacturing process and they're producing way more iPhone 6's... I really still don't think they would change this at the last minute.

 

[AgentElliot007]

I still think sapphire is likely to be used on Touch ID, Camera Lens and mostly, the iWatch or whatever it'll be. And if it is going to be used on any of the iPhones, there are no production issues. That anyone would believe that Apple would be stupid enough to strap themselves to a situation in which they'd only be able to make a couple million displays is just utterly and completely absurd.