Speaking of exotic materials, did anyone else notice that the SIM slot ejection tool has made a reappearance in the iPad Air packaging? But I am guessing it is no longer made out of the "bouncy" metal. It no longer has the flattened surfaces and sharp edges that characterized it—now more like paper clip metal.
maestro64 - This isn't the first time. I'm sure other companies do this too, but it helps to have a lot of cash. It is great to see Apple is using their capital to push new areas forward. This seems to be lacking in much of the industry. Probably too much bottom feeding outside of Apple.
In one move, Apple has put its competitors into a supply chain vise. Sounds to me like Apple wants to transform sapphire from a low volume, high margin material into a higher volume, lower margin material that competitors will not be able to match in the short-term without substantial investments of their own. The rumors of sapphire glass replacing Gorilla Glass have been stirring for at least the past year, and with their camera lenses and Touch ID buttons already using sapphire glass, adding the material to the touchscreen would be the logical next step for Apple.
Apple is both willing and able to push the envelope with the use of materials to differentiate their products (and support higher margins). And they have a big enough cash reserve available to build significant manufacturing capacity without depressing margins or taking on debt in the process. Do any Android OEMs seem willing to go in this direction, given the significant upfront capital outlay required and the low margins for most Android OEMs?
Only Samsung could possibly do it, but the Android phone business is much lower margin business and the end users are too unsophicated to care if it's a glass screen or a sapphire screen...or even a plastic screen for that matter. The rest of the Android smart phone manufacturers just don't have the volume of production or the ready cash to throw their weight around.
Apple keeps raising the bar; 64 bit CPUs, motion processing M7 chips, finger print ID, high quality camera lenses, top customer service, huge ecosystem... they are building a formidable strong case for their products, and their products have a caché halo... something that the customer bestows on a product.
With the USPO giving Apple's multi-touch patents the blessing, and Rockstar's seven patent infringement suit's files, the Android platform will be in it's own world of hurt in the near future.
Speaking of exotic materials, did anyone else notice that the SIM slot ejection tool has made a reappearance in the iPad Air packaging? But I am guessing it is no longer made out of the "bouncy" metal. It no longer has the flattened surfaces and sharp edges that characterized it—now more like paper clip metal.
Truly, but how many tablet buyers even know what that object is for, or even care, for that matter. As long as the Apple employee at the genius bar has the tool, it's all good.
Yeah, as cool as a Sapphire iPhone screen would be, I just can't see the production reaching the needed scale anytime soon. Apple sells 10s of millions of iPhones per quarter! Either they figure out a way to make this stuff much more quickly and easily, or we're still a ways away from Sapphire screens.
Apple plans years in advance so they are the market drivers and everyone else are reactive to Apple's moves. This plant will provide for 2014's or 2015's devices needs.
If you watch the video, one black (sic) of sapphire is going to make at most 500 iPhone screens. Probably less. Apple would need 1000 machines to meet production needs. Probably more. The current plant has only 60 machines. So very unlikely for iPhone screens. What would completely lose performance or easily scratch? Camera lenses. Touch ID sensors. A watch crystal that could bang into walls.
I think you underestimate the yield by at least 20x... and those solid sapphire cylinders you saw are called "boules" not blocks.
Apple plans years in advance so they are the market drivers and everyone else are reactive to Apple's moves. This plant will provide for 2014's or 2015's devices needs.
Who else thought of the book The Diamond Age, by Neil Stephenson when you read this story? I think odds are very high that it will be Apple who eventually brings to market the first nano-assembled consumer electronics computing devices.
Sapphire glass has no elasticity of any measure without fracturing. This is the sensor interfaces for all future hardware that most certainly will include the Mac Mini, Mac Pro, iMac, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, AppleTV, etc.
Correct. I doubt sapphire will replace gorilla glass for the main screen of large devices because it will be very brittle. Though strong, sapphire is substantially heavier than glass (just as titanium is heaver than aluminum). To make a light enough screen the sapphire would need to be too thin to be durable. On the other hand, sapphire IS very scratch resistant due to its hardness, and it transmits a greater range of the electromagnetic spectrum (UV) than glass, thus making it a superb lens material.
Correct. I doubt sapphire will replace gorilla glass for the main screen of large devices because it will be very brittle. Though strong, sapphire is substantially heavier than glass (just as titanium is heaver than aluminum). To make a light enough screen the sapphire would need to be too thin to be durable. On the other hand, sapphire IS very scratch resistant due to its hardness, and it transmits a greater range of the electromagnetic spectrum (UV) than glass, thus making it a superb lens material.
No, saphire has significantly less light transmission than good optical glass and cameras systems usually go to some trouble to exclude IR and UV as it isn't helpful for taking normal photos. Every lens element would have to be saphire if you wanted to pass invisible wave lengths and those would be uneconomical to manufacture.
That phone design is so badly thought out and has zero advantages over physical volume buttons and a few negatives. And laser cutting a block of sapphire crystal doesn't sound plausible either given that you can't laser cut to a particular depth like that in any material that I know of.
Actually you can with a pulsed Yag laser. To my knowledge, it was only used for carving carbon electrodes for electroerosion but it was a few years ago ( nearly 15 in fact) and this probably evolved. Very slow but capable to do very fine engraving.
Now, wether it is possible in an optically near transparent material is another question.
Actually you can with a pulsed Yag laser. To my knowledge, it was only used for carving carbon electrodes for electroerosion but it was a few years ago ( nearly 15 in fact) and this probably evolved. Very slow but capable to do very fine engraving.
Now, wether it is possible in an optically near transparent material is another question.
Sapphire glass has no elasticity of any measure without fracturing. This is the sensor interfaces for all future hardware that most certainly will include the Mac Mini, Mac Pro, iMac, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, AppleTV, etc.
Yes, but you're not likely to drop your watch. And you rarely bang it very hard against anything. The scratchproof aspect is very good, though, so I think this very well could be for the watch face.
Comments
Only Samsung could possibly do it, but the Android phone business is much lower margin business and the end users are too unsophicated to care if it's a glass screen or a sapphire screen...or even a plastic screen for that matter. The rest of the Android smart phone manufacturers just don't have the volume of production or the ready cash to throw their weight around.
Apple keeps raising the bar; 64 bit CPUs, motion processing M7 chips, finger print ID, high quality camera lenses, top customer service, huge ecosystem... they are building a formidable strong case for their products, and their products have a caché halo... something that the customer bestows on a product.
With the USPO giving Apple's multi-touch patents the blessing, and Rockstar's seven patent infringement suit's files, the Android platform will be in it's own world of hurt in the near future.
Truly, but how many tablet buyers even know what that object is for, or even care, for that matter. As long as the Apple employee at the genius bar has the tool, it's all good.
Apple plans years in advance so they are the market drivers and everyone else are reactive to Apple's moves. This plant will provide for 2014's or 2015's devices needs.
I think you underestimate the yield by at least 20x... and those solid sapphire cylinders you saw are called "boules" not blocks.
Apple plans years in advance so they are the market drivers and everyone else are reactive to Apple's moves. This plant will provide for 2014's or 2015's devices needs.
Now that I can completely believe.
Thinner with an OLED screen maybe?
Sign me up.
Sapphire glass has no elasticity of any measure without fracturing. This is the sensor interfaces for all future hardware that most certainly will include the Mac Mini, Mac Pro, iMac, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, AppleTV, etc.
Correct. I doubt sapphire will replace gorilla glass for the main screen of large devices because it will be very brittle. Though strong, sapphire is substantially heavier than glass (just as titanium is heaver than aluminum). To make a light enough screen the sapphire would need to be too thin to be durable. On the other hand, sapphire IS very scratch resistant due to its hardness, and it transmits a greater range of the electromagnetic spectrum (UV) than glass, thus making it a superb lens material.
Sapphire crystal screen + Liquid Metal back is going to make a hell of a iPhone 6. Virtually indestructible. Stay tuned folks. And read this:
http://acceptingpayments.quora.com/Apple-Partners-With-Sapphire-Manufacturer-To-Build-A-Joint-US-Plant-In-Arizona
Whatever use Apple had in mind for liquidmetal has long since been shelved in favour of an alternative design that doesn't require it.
Correct. I doubt sapphire will replace gorilla glass for the main screen of large devices because it will be very brittle. Though strong, sapphire is substantially heavier than glass (just as titanium is heaver than aluminum). To make a light enough screen the sapphire would need to be too thin to be durable. On the other hand, sapphire IS very scratch resistant due to its hardness, and it transmits a greater range of the electromagnetic spectrum (UV) than glass, thus making it a superb lens material.
No, saphire has significantly less light transmission than good optical glass and cameras systems usually go to some trouble to exclude IR and UV as it isn't helpful for taking normal photos. Every lens element would have to be saphire if you wanted to pass invisible wave lengths and those would be uneconomical to manufacture.
That phone design is so badly thought out and has zero advantages over physical volume buttons and a few negatives. And laser cutting a block of sapphire crystal doesn't sound plausible either given that you can't laser cut to a particular depth like that in any material that I know of.
Actually you can with a pulsed Yag laser. To my knowledge, it was only used for carving carbon electrodes for electroerosion but it was a few years ago ( nearly 15 in fact) and this probably evolved. Very slow but capable to do very fine engraving.
Now, wether it is possible in an optically near transparent material is another question.
It is called laser milling : http://www.manufacturelink.com.au/processes/laser-machining-3d-laser-milling.aspx
Actually you can with a pulsed Yag laser. To my knowledge, it was only used for carving carbon electrodes for electroerosion but it was a few years ago ( nearly 15 in fact) and this probably evolved. Very slow but capable to do very fine engraving.
Now, wether it is possible in an optically near transparent material is another question.
It is called laser milling : http://www.manufacturelink.com.au/processes/laser-machining-3d-laser-milling.aspx
Interesting. What next? I'd imagine it's too slow however.
Sapphire glass has no elasticity of any measure without fracturing. This is the sensor interfaces for all future hardware that most certainly will include the Mac Mini, Mac Pro, iMac, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, AppleTV, etc.
Yes, but you're not likely to drop your watch. And you rarely bang it very hard against anything. The scratchproof aspect is very good, though, so I think this very well could be for the watch face.
Thompson
Diamond, for example, is very fragile to impacts.
Should Apple just buy them?
Blasphemy! Why didn't you just use stocks? :P
Apple wouldn't need to buy them, just gain a controlling interest and a seat on their board of directors.