Tuesday, 5 November 2013
Apple has announced a deal to open a sapphire facility, fuelling rumours the hard material could be used on future smartphones and iPads
Apple is planning to build a 700-employee facility to make sapphire glass, which could be used on future iPhones and iPads.
It announced its plan to partner with mineral crystal firm GT Advanced Technologies, in a $578 million deal to open a plant in Arizona, US.
The partnership suggests Apple will use sapphire cover glass to protect the displays used in future iOS hardware.
Sapphire is already used in the Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the new iPhone 5S, which is likely to feature in future Apple products, although it was not used in the new iPad Air or retina iPad mini.
Apple also use sapphire, which is harder than rock, to protect iPhone camera lenses and it is increasingly being used as a screen material in prototypes and high-end phones.
