4.7 and 5.5-inch screens made of sapphire crystal for the new iPhones
iPhone 6 reportedly coming in two versions with displays made of sapphire
South China Morning Post threw light on the new iPhone versions expected in September 2014. There will be two variants, according to the publication, and each of them will include a screen larger than the current 5S model. The small iPhone will pack a 4.7-inch display, while the phablet is reportedly coming with a 5.5-inch screen, which would be a huge step for Apple into the large screen market. Apple has a lot of do in this market segment, which Samsung first started to explore with its giant Note phablet. Since then, phablets has started to gain more and more traction and changed the whole industry, while Apple’s largest screen is still just 4 inches across diagonals.
Both screens will be made of sapphire crystal, as Apple has acquired a new operating plant in Mesa. The screens will be extremely scratch-resistant, as sapphire is the second hardest material after diamond. Sapphire crystals are already used by Apple for iPhone’s lens cover and touch identification. Importantly, both iPhones will offer a much higher pixel density of around 441ppi, in comparison with 326ppi in Apple iPhone 5s. When iPhone 6 launches, Apple will discontinue the cheaper iPhone 5c, while 5s will still be produced for a while but with cheaper materials, a source close to the matter has explained.
Apple had originally planned to keep the same 4-inch screen size which is proved to fit comfortably in the hand. After poor 5c sales Apple has decided to grow in size and update its phones with larger screens which are becoming extremely popular in China and other major markets. At the same time, iPhone 6 prices are expected to increase dramatically as sapphire is far more expensive than Gorilla Glass.
[Source: South China Morning Post]
