Rumor: Sapphire display seen as unlikely for 'iPhone 6' amid production woes
Sapphire display covers have yet to begin winding their way through Apple's supply chain thanks to poor yield rates for sapphire ingot and problems with the processing of the material, according to a new report, which suggests that Apple is unlikely to ship a sapphire-covered device in large quantities this year.
Downstream component makers would have had to begin shipping the sapphire display covers to Apple's assembly partners in June to meet the company's September deadline, market research firm TrendForce said, but those shipments have not yet appeared. This is likely to point to either a delayed or seriously constrained release for a sapphire-covered iPhone, the firm argues.
Further evidence that Apple has yet to ramp up production with sapphire components can be found in the still-falling prices of sapphire ingot, substrate, and patterned sapphire substrate, the firm said. Prices for those components are down as much as 10 percent quarter-over-quarter after demand failed to increase linearly with production capacity.
Additionally, the analysts are not convinced that Apple will choose the material for the so-called "iWatch." Complex shapes or flexible OLED display panels would make processing even more difficult, they said.
It is unclear whether these market assessments take Apple's new Arizona sapphire plant into account, or whether they look only at existing sapphire suppliers. Apple struck a $578 million deal with furnace maker GT Advanced Technologies to finance and jointly operate the Phoenix-area facility in exchange for exclusive access to its output.
Downstream component makers would have had to begin shipping the sapphire display covers to Apple's assembly partners in June to meet the company's September deadline, market research firm TrendForce said, but those shipments have not yet appeared. This is likely to point to either a delayed or seriously constrained release for a sapphire-covered iPhone, the firm argues.
Further evidence that Apple has yet to ramp up production with sapphire components can be found in the still-falling prices of sapphire ingot, substrate, and patterned sapphire substrate, the firm said. Prices for those components are down as much as 10 percent quarter-over-quarter after demand failed to increase linearly with production capacity.
Additionally, the analysts are not convinced that Apple will choose the material for the so-called "iWatch." Complex shapes or flexible OLED display panels would make processing even more difficult, they said.
It is unclear whether these market assessments take Apple's new Arizona sapphire plant into account, or whether they look only at existing sapphire suppliers. Apple struck a $578 million deal with furnace maker GT Advanced Technologies to finance and jointly operate the Phoenix-area facility in exchange for exclusive access to its output.
Comments
Ah, the rumored rumor that has been rumored to be rumored is now rumored not to be rumored.
Ah, the rumored rumor that has been rumored to be rumored is now rumored not to be rumored.
So why are you here?
My prediction for liquidmetal also remains the same: iWatch, and iPhone 7.
Well, someone call in the four horsemen of the apocalypse and throw a large millstone in the sea. Apple is doomed... /s
For filtered content that isn’t utter garbage, signifying nothing.
Okay another analysis with some guy he meet in the back alleys of Taiwan and China who claim to be in the know about what apple is or is not doing.
Where do they think all that glass is going?
According to the article, a lot of it is winding up in the scrap bin, and what's left isn't enough to cover the number of iPhones they expect to sell.
It is unclear whether these market assessments take Apple's new Arizona sapphire plant into account, or whether they look only at existing sapphire suppliers.
So, then, what good are "these market assessments"?
Just because Brand X Sapphire Inc. isn't shipping iPhone front panels doesn't mean Apple won't be using sapphire.
Because Apple has their own supplier.
And, frankly, I don't care what the iPhone "6" front panels are made of, as long as they're Gorilla Glass or better.
Never had any scratching problem.
Uh, does anyone here think that Apple would've worked with GT Advanced to iron out all possible issues before spending half a billion dollars to equip two enormous sapphire plants? Sorry, but there is absolutely no way they would've even considered moving to such a massive production scale without making sure everything was in working order.
Uh, does anyone here think that Apple would've worked with GT Advanced to iron out all possible issues before spending half a billion dollars to equip two enormous sapphire plants? Sorry, but there is absolutely no way they would've even considered moving to such a massive production scale without making sure everything was in working order.
Sometimes you don't discover issues until relatively late in production. You only have to look at the trouble Intel's having with Broadwell to see that.
" sapphire ingot, substrate, and patterned sapphire substrate, the firm said. Prices for those components are down as much as 10 percent quarter-over-quarter after demand failed to increase linearly with production capacity."
How does that link to Apple's own unique supplier, GT Advanced?
I see it just this simple:
Gorilla Glass 3 has it's advantages and it's drawbacks.
Sapphire has it's advantages and it's drawbacks.
There are simply more drawbacks for sapphire, in this case, than there are for GG3.
The new iPhones will have GG3 screen covers.
Maybe not. But I got a sapphire lens cover on my 2-year-old iPhone 5. The rest has been the rumor mill making promises for Apple to keep.
But don't those sapphire ingots take something like 60-90 days to "grow" then process and cut! Difficult material to cut as well...
Apple invested $578 million with GTAT specifically for saphire production beginning in early this year.
Signs point to using sapphire.
We will soon find out.
This rumor feels like stock manipulation to me.
The GTAT stock is very sensitive to rumors about a possible iPhone 6 sapphire display. GTAT investors are looking at those very closely.