Apple may use sapphire glass in more expensive iPhone 6 model

Apple is said to have plans to equip a more expensive iPhone 6 model with sapphire glass. The manufacturer is said to have started production of sapphire on a limited scale. The material should better protect the smartphone against scratches and fall damage.

That reports the usually well-informed The Wall Street Journal. According to the American business newspaper, Apple would only like to equip the iPhone 6 variant with a 5.5″ screen with the protective sapphire glass, and not the alleged 4.7″ model. Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 6 models on September 9.

Apple is collaborating with GT Advanced Technologies to develop synthetic sapphire. Production of the material would have been started by now, but the production numbers would still be too limited to provide all devices with sapphire glass. Presumably, the cheaper iPhones will therefore be equipped with a regular glass plate of Gorilla Glass.

Sapphire is significantly stronger than glass. The material is more resistant to scratches and can withstand higher temperatures. It is also resistant to chemical corrosion. However, the production of synthetic sapphire is expensive. Apple, which previously patented the use of sapphire glass in a specific way, has so far only used the material for small surfaces, such as the fingerprint reader and camera lens of the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S. There are also rumors that the sapphire will be used for an upcoming smartwatch from Apple.