Is it just me or would a sapphire screen change nothing?

[spazma7ik]

I mean, majority of scratches people see on their iPhones nowadays are scratches on the oleophobic coating, which I assure you would still be used with a sapphire screen. What's the point?

 

[Hal~9000]

Wouldn't change anything for me.

Even if it were sapphire I still would have a screen protector on.

 

[Bhs1975]

What's the point of the coating if you cover it up?

 

[willmtaylor]

I mean, majority of scratches people see on their iPhones nowadays are scratches on the oleophobic coating, which I assure you would still be used with a sapphire screen. What's the point?

This may be true, or it may not be, but I'm doubtful you have any evidence to substantiate it.

IMO, the sapphire glass would make a huge difference.

 

[Hal~9000]

What's the point of the coating if you cover it up?

I'd say it's put on to complete the great look of the iPhone (by not having a smeared screen with a bunch of fingerprints) so that customers somehow get warm fuzzy feelings about how nice the phone looks. Then, by the time it wears off and the screen starts to look like a fingerprint mess, the 14 - 30 day return policy is gone.

I'm a paranoid cynic though I fully admit

 

[Tyler23]

I mean, majority of scratches people see on their iPhones nowadays are scratches on the oleophobic coating, which I assure you would still be used with a sapphire screen. What's the point?

It's not just about scratches, it's about shattered screens..

 

[MH01]

Scratches are a major issue.

And also the durability of Sapphire.

It would have been nice to get Sapphire on the iphone. 6S upgrade I guess.

 

[kmj2318]

I can't see sapphire being used on a display, it would shatter much easier. I've seen the home button and camera lens crack in drop test, keep in mind that those are very small areas and dont even get the direct impact of the drop.

 

[indychris]

IMO, the sapphire glass would make a huge difference.

This may be true, or it may not be, but I'm doubtful you have any evidence to substantiate it.

 

[willmtaylor]

This may be true, or it may not be, but I'm doubtful you have any evidence to substantiate it.

Image

Hah, very true, but also why I prefaced it with "IMO" instead of stating it as fact. : )

 

[Menel]

If Apple could get over their Napoleon complex with thickness.

Sapphire panel laminated to a panel of ion-strengthened/Gorilla glass could be fantastic.

 

[Oohara]

I can't see sapphire being used on a display, it would shatter much easier. I've seen the home button and camera lens crack in drop test, keep in mind that those are very small areas and dont even get the direct impact of the drop.

This is the part that most people don't seem to know about. A sapphire screen would be more scratch resistant than a glass screen, but on the other hand it would crack easier. Sapphire is also more reflective than glass.

"-Sapphire is more brittle than glass," Raymond Soneira, president of DisplayMate Technologies told Business Insider. "And I would think sapphire might be more prone to breakage than [Corning] Gorilla Glass."

...

"Another fun fact about sapphire: it's more reflective than glass, which means it'll be difficult to see your phone's screen in sunny or bright conditions, according to Soneira.

"A sapphire screen will reflect almost twice as much light as ordinary glass," he said.

http://www.businessinsider.com/sapphire-glass-iphone-6-screen-2014-8

 

[indychris]

Hah, very true, but also why I prefaced it with "IMO" instead of stating it as fact. : )

And probably why the OP started with "Is it just me, or..." and asked a question rather than stating a dogmatic conclusion.

 

[1968]

As a watch collector, the first thing I thought of when I heard Apple was building a sapphire plant last year was Apple Watch.

Now that the watch has been announced and has been shown to have a sapphire crystal, why do people keep assuming the iPhone will ever get one?

 

[willmtaylor]

This is the part that most people don't seem to know about. A sapphire screen would be more scratch resistant than a glass screen, but on the other hand it would crack easier. Sapphire is also more reflective than glass.

"-Sapphire is more brittle than glass," Raymond Soneira, president of DisplayMate Technologies told Business Insider. "And I would think sapphire might be more prone to breakage than [Corning] Gorilla Glass."

...

"Another fun fact about sapphire: it's more reflective than glass, which means it'll be difficult to see your phone's screen in sunny or bright conditions, according to Soneira.

"A sapphire screen will reflect almost twice as much light as ordinary glass," he said.

http://www.businessinsider.com/sapphire-glass-iphone-6-screen-2014-8

See, that doesn't fly with Apple though. They've so often flown in the face of traditional logic and constraints, and said "No, we don't accept that." To believe that sapphire is less than ideal simply because traditionally used sapphire as we know it and as it's used today is less than ideal, is to not understand Apple as a company, I think, and how they've completely changed how things are done and what is(n't) possible from manufacturing and engineering standpoint

----------

And probably why the OP started with "Is it just me, or..." and asked a question rather than stating a dogmatic conclusion. Image

Picking nits now: While that's indeed true, I also know that even though I'm from the south, saying, "God bless her, but..." doesn't excuse or sterilize any nasty thing I say about a person thereafter.

In that same line of thinking, the title of the thread seemed to be a self-contained question concerning the null ramifications of using a sapphire screen, while the comments within the post seemed to be presented as facts to support his question.

Maybe I need a break from MR....

 

[freeskier93]

If Apple could get over their Napoleon complex with thickness.

Sapphire panel laminated to a panel of ion-strengthened/Gorilla glass could be fantastic.

I don't have an issue increasing device thickness, but I would have an issue with increasing glass thickness. One of the best qualities of the display on the 6/+ is the fact that everything really feels like it's on the surface. Increasing the glass thickness would be a big downgrade IMO.

 

[sviato]

It's not just about scratches, it's about shattered screens..

and sapphire is more prone to shattering

Keep the glass as-is to avoid any further mark-ups on the phone.

 

[bpeeps]

What's the point of the coating if you cover it up?

Oleophobic screen protectors.

 

[Oohara]

See, that doesn't fly with Apple though. They've so often flown in the face of traditional logic and constraints, and said "No, we don't accept that." To believe that sapphire is less than ideal simply because traditionally used sapphire as we know it and as it's used today is less than ideal, is to not understand Apple as a company, I think, and how they've completely changed how things are done and what is(n't) possible from manufacturing and engineering standpoint

Sure, but why didn't they use sapphire for the 6/6+ then? Whereas they are using it on the watch, where scratch-resistance is probably more important than flexibility.

Anyway, the glass on the 6/6+ seems pretty damn tough as is, at least judging by MKBHD's video. He bends it totally out of shape and stabs it repeatedly with a huge knife without the glass even breaking a sweat. I'd say Apple did a fine job on the glass for the 6/6+, whatever it's name happens to be.

 

[bpeeps]

This may be true, or it may not be, but I'm doubtful you have any evidence to substantiate it.

Image

IMO = In my opinion.

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Sure, but why didn't they use sapphire for the 6/6+ then? Whereas they are using it on the watch, where scratch-resistance is probably more important than flexibility.

Anyway, the glass on the 6/6+ seems pretty damn tough as is, at least judging by MKBHD's video. He bends it totally out of shape and stabs it repeatedly with a huge knife without the glass even breaking a sweat. I'd say Apple did a fine job on the glass for the 6/6+, whatever it's name happens to be.

Yielding a 4.7" and 5.5" sapphire screen is different / more complex than the smaller screen size on the watch.

 

[deviant]

Sure, but why didn't they use sapphire for the 6/6+ then? Whereas they are using it on the watch, where scratch-resistance is probably more important than flexibility.

Anyway, the glass on the 6/6+ seems pretty damn tough as is, at least judging by MKBHD's video. He bends it totally out of shape and stabs it repeatedly with a huge knife without the glass even breaking a sweat. I'd say Apple did a fine job on the glass for the 6/6+, whatever it's name happens to be.

I don't know about good job. Shatters too easily. But hey, it's thinner than your hair! 6 seems to have a thinner glass than the 6+. I played with both and on the 6 it seems like it's printed and you're really touching the screen, not glass. The effect is amazing.

 

[willmtaylor]

Sure, but why didn't they use sapphire for the 6/6+ then? Whereas they are using it on the watch, where scratch-resistance is probably more important than flexibility.

Anyway, the glass on the 6/6+ seems pretty damn tough as is, at least judging by MKBHD's video. He bends it totally out of shape and stabs it repeatedly with a huge knife without the glass even breaking a sweat. I'd say Apple did a fine job on the glass for the 6/6+, whatever it's name happens to be.

Reports were that they were trying to use it for the iPhone 6's and missed the manufacturing deadline by only a few weeks.

Glad to hear that the ion-strengthening is working out.

 

[Bhs1975]

Oleophobic screen protectors.

Seriously?

 

[nikhsub1]

"A sapphire screen will reflect almost twice as much light as ordinary glass," he said.[/I]

http://www.businessinsider.com/sapphire-glass-iphone-6-screen-2014-8

An anti-reflective coating on the underside of the glass will help eliminate that altogether. It is done on fine swiss watches and works very well, it's as if the sapphire disappears. Also, the oleophobic coating may not even be necessary on the sapphire as it is pretty slick as it is, it's not like running your finger on regular glass, it almost feels like it is coated as it is.

 

[Oohara]

Well, I guess we'll see when the next iteration of the iPhone comes out. I'm not too knowledgeable on the subject anyway, was just offering a tidbit of info that I had found elsewhere