Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

What if the iPhone 6 was made completely out of Sapphire crystal?

J

Jyby

Suspended
Original poster
May 31, 2011
720
617
What if the iPhone 6 was made completely out of Sapphire crystal?

Like the unibody casing?

It would cost a fortune but we aren't really sure what Apple is doing with Sapphire quite yet.

I think it could improve cell signal and could possible be thinner since its sturdier than aluminum.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Sapphire shatters really easily, much more so than glass. It would be foolish to build a phone made entirely of sapphire.
 
sunking101 said:
Sapphire shatters really easily, much more so than glass. It would be foolish to build a phone made entirely of sapphire.
Click to expand...

Thats Cornings (maker of Gorilla Glass) argument toward sapphire glass.

However the counter to that is while an absolute perfect Gorilla Glass screen may be less likely to shatter when dropped it must remain absolutely flawless. The slightest scratch or nick in the glass increases its potential for shattering exponentially, well passed that of sapphire. And no one is arguing that sapphire is much much much harder to scratch.

Other arguments against using sapphire is its much more expensive, its heavier, and much worse on the environment to manufacture. Plus it doesn't transmit light as well meaning dimmer screens OR as bright screens with lower battery life. Or so I've read.

On topic I don't see it being used for the casing of the iPhone if nothing else manufacturing cost. But there is a longer list of reasons not to use it as a case/housing then to use it...
 
cynics said:
Thats Cornings (maker of Gorilla Glass) argument toward sapphire glass.

However the counter to that is while an absolute perfect Gorilla Glass screen may be less likely to shatter when dropped it must remain absolutely flawless. The slightest scratch or nick in the glass increases its potential for shattering exponentially, well passed that of sapphire. And no one is arguing that sapphire is much much much harder to scratch.

Other arguments against using sapphire is its much more expensive, its heavier, and much worse on the environment to manufacture. Plus it doesn't transmit light as well meaning dimmer screens OR as bright screens with lower battery life. Or so I've read.

On topic I don't see it being used for the casing of the iPhone if nothing else manufacturing cost. But there is a longer list of reasons not to use it as a case/housing then to use it...
Click to expand...

The original deep sea diving and moon landings watches had plastic 'crystals' as sapphire is prone to cracking, and in the case of the Apollo missions, NASA didn't want small sharp pieces floating around the space capsule. Hesalite plastic was chosen over sapphire and glass for the Omega Speedmaster (NASA) and original Rolex Submariner watches.
 
sunking101 said:
The original deep sea diving and moon landings watches had plastic 'crystals' as sapphire is prone to cracking, and in the case of the Apollo missions, NASA didn't want small sharp pieces floating around the space capsule. Hesalite plastic was chosen over sapphire and glass for the Omega Speedmaster (NASA) and original Rolex Submariner watches.
Click to expand...


I'm not following your point. Those are specific application and non sapphire glass wasn't the replacement. Plus current applications on military submarines a most FLIR (forward looking infrared) military use uses sapphire lenses.
 
cynics said:
I'm not following your point. Those are specific application and non sapphire glass wasn't the replacement. Plus current applications on military submarines a most FLIR (forward looking infrared) military use uses sapphire lenses.
Click to expand...

My point is that sapphire shatters easily.
 
cynics said:
Thats Cornings (maker of Gorilla Glass) argument toward sapphire glass.

However the counter to that is while an absolute perfect Gorilla Glass screen may be less likely to shatter when dropped it must remain absolutely flawless. The slightest scratch or nick in the glass increases its potential for shattering exponentially, well passed that of sapphire. And no one is arguing that sapphire is much much much harder to scratch.

Other arguments against using sapphire is its much more expensive, its heavier, and much worse on the environment to manufacture. Plus it doesn't transmit light as well meaning dimmer screens OR as bright screens with lower battery life. Or so I've read.

On topic I don't see it being used for the casing of the iPhone if nothing else manufacturing cost. But there is a longer list of reasons not to use it as a case/housing then to use it...
Click to expand...

None of these things are true tho, apple straight up said it allows light through easier which is why the camera and home button use it now. GG is less likely to crack with straight up pressure but much more likely to break if dropped which is how screens break. They aren't breaking from you pushing on the screen too hard.
 
What if the iPhone 6 was made completely out of Sapphire crystal?

goobot said:
None of these things are true tho, apple straight up said it allows light through easier which is why the camera and home button use it now. GG is less likely to crack with straight up pressure but much more likely to break if dropped which is how screens break. They aren't breaking from you pushing on the screen too hard.
Click to expand...


Do you have a link to that? Sapphire has a higher light refracting index then glass.

While I don't know the tech used that's like saying lead is lighter then wood. Technically that could be true depending on quantity but only in the proper context.

Drop pressure stress and failures has been proven time and time again. Not sure where you got that information, it's not even close.
 
goobot said:
it allows light through easier which is why the camera and home button use it now. GG is less likely to crack with straight up pressure but much more likely to break if dropped
Click to expand...


None of those statements are true.
 
Gorilla glass is way softer than Saphire glass. Gorilla glass will scratch but is not near as brittle as Saphire glass. Saphire glass is much harder to scratch but is very brittle and will shatter more easy that Gorilla glass.

There are limitations to saphire and it would be impossible to make the entire case out of it. It is just not going to happen.
 
Then no sale... I hate glass as chassis hardware. Should only be screen and camera. Sapphire is heavy and fragile.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back