Apple s latest gambit for sparkling sales may involve sapphire.
The Cupertino-based company is considering manufacturing sapphire screens for upcoming iterations of the iPhone as well as a smartwatch in the pipeline, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. Sapphire screens might be more resistant to scratches and cracks, perhaps setting Apple apart from the crowded smartphone field. But the gem is costly to produce, meaning Apple would likely have to raise prices or erode its profit margins, analysts told the Journal.
Apple already uses sapphire for the fingerprint scanner and camera lens in the iPhone, but its screens are made of Gorilla Glass manufactured by Corning. Although sapphire is tricky to produce in bulk, Apple has taken steps to ramp up. A massive Mesa, Ariz., plant that Apple opened last year with manufacturer GT Advanced Technologies will produce the first sapphire display screens this month, the Journal reported. Apple s supply chain could be strained if the plant does not produce enough of the material, analysts told the newspaper.
Though it typically appears in vibrant blue hues in jewelry, sapphire is clear in its pure form. Despite the gem s tough exterior, it may not actually best Gorilla Glass as its resiliency depends on the cut. Gorilla Glass proved tougher than sapphire in tests, Corning told the Journal.
Screens for upcoming versions of the iPhone may feature sapphire, the Wall Street Journal reported. (Pixabay)
