Apple will likely use sapphire glass instead of Gorilla Glass in the next generation iPhone as well as the much rumored iWatch. For this, the company has partnered with GT Advanced Technologies to setup a manufacturing facility in Arizona, and reports from a few months ago claimed that the plant won’t be able to meet demand.
A new Seeking Alpha report from analyst Matt Margolis however says that Apple’s partner GT Advanced will be able to produce enough sapphire glass to meet demand for not only the two iPhone 6 models but even the iWatch:
As a result of my most recent supply chain check I believe that the Mesa sapphire operations will have ample supply to cover the iWatch, the 4.7″ iPhone and the 5.5″ iPhone with full sapphire cover glass in 2014. Additionally, the maximum sapphire screen capacity of the Mesa facility is likely to exceed 200m annual units.GT Advanced has installed more than 2,500 furnaces, based on Margolis’ supply chain checks, that’ll work with sapphire boule size between 200 and 235kg. GT is reportedly waiting for the 4th and final prepayment from Apple, which will arrive the end of this month, the same time GT finishes setting up equipment in the Mesa plant.
An earlier report claimed that Apple was acquiring sapphire manufacturing components to produce 200 million iPhone displays, possibly giving an idea of Apple’s internal estimates for iPhone 6 sales.
Apple currently uses sapphire glass as a covering to protect the camera on the iPhone and to cover the Touch ID sensor on the iPhone 5s. But with the iPhone 6, Apple is rumored to use sapphire display to improve the device’s durability and scratch resistance. GT Advanced says sapphire is 2.5 times stronger than reinforced glass material like Gorilla Glass.
Apple is expected to release two iPhone 6 variants this year, one with a 4.7-inch display in September, followed by a 5.5-inch display iPhone a few months later. The iWatch is rumored to be launched in October, with a focus on health and fitness.
[via Seeking Alpha]
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