By my own eyes I can see the screen protector I use is exceptionally clear with no discernible degradation of colors or clarity. You have no evidence they are not.
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Smartphone Manufacturers 'Lukewarm' on Sapphire, Call Material Impractical Due to Cost and Supply
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By my own eyes I can see the screen protector I use is exceptionally clear with no discernible degradation of colors or clarity. You have no evidence they are not.
Most people have not played with a material like sapphire before and it's properties are quite unusual compared to what you might have experienced. It has a highly crystalline structure which is very strong. It is subject to brittleness only in certain scenarios which means that in thin layers it can allows the material to bend without shattering.
However, if you drop it on to a hard surface (especially if onto a corner), the shock right at the contacting edge can cause a microscopic crack. Because of the crystalline structure, this crack then then easily spread rapidly throughout the rest of the sheet as the shockwave transfers through it (even easier than it does with glass). It's like a crack in a windshield; The glass is quite strong until it's cracked but once it has a crack it's vulnerable to the crack spreading. This property in sapphire is more exaggerated. However sapphire, unlike normal glass, remains strong while being bent due to it's structure. Normal glass does not cope with this well and will quickly crack and shatter.
Sapphire could likely make a great phone screen very resistant to scratching but Apple would have to ensure the corners are rounded (as they already are) as sharp points are especially vulnerable if hit. They will likely protect the corners from the chances of any direct impact by recessing the glass into the phone body to a greater extent than they do with the current Gorilla glass (notice that tiny plastic band around the edge of the glass on your iPhone 5?). It's ultra-important that the sapphire glass edge does not contact the ground if the phone is dropped.
I think the pressure test Corning are using to show theirs is 'stronger' than sapphire is a little pointless. Unless you're going to place a very heavy point source of pressure on the screen then this test is irrelevant (and is not directly related to its strength in drop tests). The scratchability of the glass is a far more relevant test and sapphire wins hands-down in this regard. But we'll probably pay for it in the RRP.
Apple had the same concern about cost and supply.... Which is why they went ahead and built their own bigazz sapphire plant.
My question to the materials engineers here:
Does the bending in the video indicate a non-laminate?
Wouldn't gluing a thin sheet of sapphire to a sheet of glass, result in a stiffer composite that would not bend that far?
Thanks!
Precisely what I was thinking. Did you see that guy bend the screen with everything he had https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R0_FJ4r73s
It also might be a material unsuitable for the coming generation of foldable devices.
Unless perhaps a very thin sheet of sapphire is super bendable when bonded to a substrate made of plastic.
But I think the attraction of such devices will overshadow whether they use sapphire or not.
I don't know anout anyone else in here, but have any of you bragged about how well your gorilla glass survived it last significant fall? While I admit there have been a few good ones, the 20% stronger is going to effect an extrememly small # of these. Long and short of it, many falls that crack sapphire will also crack Gorilla glass. But here's the caveat, we can nearly 100% solve one problem, screen scratches. No more need for a Zagg shield. I got so sick of taking a device that Apple spends millions to make ultra thin and light, only to add an Otterbox Defender. Finally with iPhone 5S, I told myself that I was not going to put myself in any "drop-risk" situations. It is either in my hand, or in my pocket. I use only a Zagg to protect the screen and shiny metal. With sapphire, I dare say only the shiny metal will need protection if you desire. I'm sold.
Serious question. When has there ever been an issue with scratched screens? Cracked screens? Tons of issues. There's a cottage industry surrounding replacing them. Scratched?
I know that for some people scratches all of the sudden have become irrelevant (coincidentally with the timing of all these rumours about the scratch resistance of Apple's Sapphire glass), but there's a good reason why screen protectors are such a large business. It's interesting that companies like ZAGG can make a fortune on those "placebos" (since apparently scratches don't matter....)....
I've been using my iPhone 5 without screen protector and it has a bunch minor scratches - with me still watching out for the phone and not putting it in the same pocket as keys etc., I'd prefer those scratches not to be there.
I just feel like some people are so irresponsible Lol . I've had every iPhone since the first one launched in 2007 and have only cracked ONE of them . The back of an iPhone 4 . Once in 7+ years ...
I've worn cases for periods of time, but haven't once put a case on my 5s and it's still kickin' .
I just don't know why people get mad at Apple for their negligence . Just take care of your shxt .
I've worn cases for periods of time, but haven't once put a case on my 5s and it's still kickin' .
I just don't know why people get mad at Apple for their negligence . Just take care of your shxt .
If you all they're getting out of sapphire is scratch resistance, than it isn't worth it to use the whole material as a screen. Can't they just put in a scratch resistant top layer on top of cheap flexible glass? Doing some kind of vapor deposition using real diamonds would probably be cheaper than $30.
Could not agree more. I despise scratched screens. Zagg was the first to make a truly scratch resistant sheild. I can't put the protector on myself, but their kiosks do a great job. I may attempt the 6th without a screen protector.
Sapphire is an excellent choice for phones screens especially now that they are getting bigger and bigger. The brittleness of sapphire is not an issue with the use of an iphone unless you want to take a hammer and take a whack at your phone you should be fine. Sapphire and diamond are the hardest materials on earth and its amazing that Apple continues to renew itself instead of collecting parts from readily available suppliers. Great work.
When I say issue I mean a wide ranging problem that has been brought up in the media like antennae-gate, yellowing screens, Apple v Samsung, or Beats. My original quote may not have conveyed that. I can't recall scratches ever being that type of issue. So I don't think it can be claimed they've suddenly become irrelevant because screen scratches were never a relevant issue (per my description above) to begin with.
As for why people use screen protectors, the reasons are varied. Scratch protection for one, preserving the oleophobic coating another, and habit because the original screens weren't as good as today's screen is just one more. I have never used a screen protector, but I've always used a case. Never had a scratch issue.
I've never been bothered by scratches on my iPhone screen. Mostly because, well, I can't seem to find any. I am bothered, however, by shattering of the glass. That's far more important to me than scratch resistance.
I never use screen protectors either, I use cases though. I am worried about scratching the aluminum.
I never use screen protectors either, I use cases though. I am worried about scratching the aluminum.
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Not sure who established that "fact". I use the Zagg InvisiShield HD and love it. Some of Zagg's earlier screen protector's did have an orange hue but this one's perfect.
Uh huh. That's why you have plastic films on your windows and your car's windshield. That's why you wear plastic glasses. Because plastic is totally clear. Even in the case of your easily scratched InvisiShield. Of course I don't expect any skepticism of the manufacturer's claims from you. What they say must be true, no evidence is ever required.
Let's face it, you got hosed $30 for a 5 cent piece of plastic that will have iPhone 6 users laughing.
Ditto on the questions listed here.
Moreover, curious about what bonding agents are used, and how it's properties effect the substrate-sapphire elasticity (does E, Young's modulus apply??).
I switched from iPhone to a Nexus 5 last year. The build quality of the N5 is shocking, slightly shaking the device made the power and volume buttons sound like they were going to fall off. The Gorilla glass 3 scratched pretty easily, I work from home so my phone spends most of it's time on a desk, yet it still scratched. I recently purchased an LG G3, yet another piece of crap. No, scratch that, a gimmicky piece of crap. As soon as an iPhone is released with a larger screen I will be switching back. The fact that said iPhone will likely have a Sapphire display just makes it that much sweeter.
As other poster have said, Other phone manufacturers would likely love to use Sapphire, they just can't afford to do so at the moment. Give it a year or two and all the same manufacturers now running Sapphire down will be praising it.
I've given Android devices a fair trial, and for me they're just cheap pieces of crap. And, lets face it; most phone manufacturers who make Android based devices would love to have the build quality and setup that Apple has. I can't wait! For the iPhone 6 with Sapphire display.
As other poster have said, Other phone manufacturers would likely love to use Sapphire, they just can't afford to do so at the moment. Give it a year or two and all the same manufacturers now running Sapphire down will be praising it.
I've given Android devices a fair trial, and for me they're just cheap pieces of crap. And, lets face it; most phone manufacturers who make Android based devices would love to have the build quality and setup that Apple has. I can't wait! For the iPhone 6 with Sapphire display.
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It really depends on the screen protector. I know that one I had definitely degraded the quality of the screen when I moved to retina - before that it didn't really impact it all.
I do have some tiny scratches but for the most part I am careful with my phone and I find screen clarity more important.
Sure, if you like being a wiseass, then yes, obviously it does "bend" a minute amount before it shatters.
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Quite nicely, actually. Why, are you investing?
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Well, since sapphire does not bend, what they showed on the video obviously isn't sapphire.
Duh.
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They most certainly did not.