The iPhone 6 continues to spawn rumors and speculation around what new features and concepts Apple will be building into their new ha...
The
iPhone 6 continues to spawn rumors and speculation around what new features and
concepts Apple will be building into their new handset due to launch later this
year. Die-hard Apple enthusiasts can hardly contain their excitement as tech
writers everywhere keep fueling the fire with more and more guesses about what
Apple has in the works.
The
consensus seems to be everywhere that the new iPhone 6 will include a larger,
curved and more durable sapphire screen. This may be some great news for those
planning on upgrading to the new handset, but not such great news for the
underground economy of uncertified Apple screen repairmen making a fortune from
their basements and garages replacing the multitudes of broken fragile screens
of past models of iPhones.
Another
fact pointing to the sapphire screens is Apple’s investment into GT Advanced
Technologies last year. GT Advanced is the maker of sapphire glass. This makes
even more sense why Corning Glass’ Corporate Controller, Tony Tripeny and CFO,
Jim Flaws, recently spoke about some of the disadvantages of using a sapphire
display. Of course this is not overly surprising since Corning was Apple’s
supplier of Gorilla Glass used in many of their products.
The
disadvantages of using sapphire over Gorilla Glass pointed out by Tripeny were:
ten times more expensive, 1.6 times heavier, environmentally unfriendly (it
takes 100 times more energy to manufacture), transmits less light meaning a
dimmer screen and shorter battery life, it still can be broken and it is not
indestructible. In fact Tripeny said that Gorilla Glass can take 2.5 times more
pressure than sapphire. The one advantage Tripeny did mention is that sapphire
is more scratch resistant.
Advantages
and disadvantages of a sapphire screen aside, Tripeny and Flaws seem to be
defending Corning and Gorilla Glass from losing one big contract with the tech
giant more so than making a marketing pitch.
Another argument exists that makes one wonder if these rumors
are actually true. A report by 9to5Mac states
that Apple does have enough resources and stockpile to meet the demands that
consumers will generate with sales of the iPhone 6. The report also stated that
GT Advanced Technologies recently ordered over 500 chambers and furnaces that
are capable of producing between 103 and 116 million five-inch displays for
Apple. Currently the company has 420 machines in place and the added 500 would
over double their ability to more than meet Apple’s demands. The report also
suggests that the manufacturer is very likely producing products for Apple
exclusively which may prove the sapphire concept true.
However,
others are still left wondering if there is enough sapphire in the world to
make display-grade screens for the millions of devices that Apple will produce
in 2014. Just because GT Advanced has the manufacturing ability does not
necessarily mean they have enough raw sapphire to process nor does it take into
account any type of quality control for the display grade sapphire.
This
argument is backed by a report from Digitimes Research analyst, Jessie Lin. Lin
stated:
“US-based
GT Advanced Technologies (GTAT) is setting up a factory in Arizona for
exclusive supply of sapphire to Apple, with the factory to be able to meet only
9.0-16.6% of demand for sapphire used in screen covers of a new-generation
iPhone in 2014.”
Both
arguments and reports seem to include facts that leave one unsure which is
right to believe. A few other rumors have also been very common and they are a
curved edge and a larger display to compete on a slightly more even playing
field with Samsung Group’s Galaxy and Note models with larger screens. Apple is
rumored to be launching the iPhone 6 in a 5” display, to compete with Samsung’s
Galaxy and a larger iPhamphlet model which would be a more comparable device to
Samsung’s Note.
With
all the evidence exposed there is one big case building for Apple’s iPhone 6
using a larger and sapphire display. The sheer number of rumors of the
anticipated larger curved sapphire display has certainly influenced much of the
conceptual artwork of the speculated new device, by showing Apple’s next
handset to use a sapphire display. Nobody has heard Apple deny any the rumors.
However, Apple has not confirmed any rumors either and they will not be
expected to confirm or deny any rumors until they actually reveal the iPhone 6
at the highly anticipated launch coming soon.
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