Digitimes reports that Apple and other handheld device vendors are making plans to begin releasing devices featuring curved glass in the first half of next year.

Suppliers of the non-Apple camp are working on products with curved cover glass in attempts to gain a competitive edge in the handheld device market dominated by Apple, sources in the glass industry said.

But Apple reportedly also has bought glass polishing equipment for its suppliers in preparation for the production of devices fitted with curved cover glass. Lens Technology, Fuji Crystal, G-Tech are said to be major cover glass suppliers of Apple. While Lens and Fuji focus on iPhones, G-Tech supplies mainly for iPad.

The publication reported similar claims of curved glass for the iPhone 5 back in May, but those claims have not borne out in either the iPhone 4-like "iPhone 4S" design or the redesigned iPhone 5 seen with a tapered form factor in third-party cases.

curved
Fourth-generation iPod nano with curved glass (Source: Mail Online)

The reported timeframe of the first half of next year cited in the new report leads to questions about exactly which product line would adopt the curved glass. The iPad 3 is certainly expected to be introduced within that window, but it is unclear if the next iPhone would also make its debut before the end of June considering the apparent October introduction of the iPhone 4S/5.

Top Rated Comments

disarticulate Avatar
185 months ago
For those of you who already sold your iPhone 4s, you should have known better.

Real classy. How about you hold off a couple weeks before you start dishing out the "I told you so."

Also, I've never sold an iPhone for less than I paid for the new model. Have a great day. :D

----------

Isn't Apple in the market for curved glass in the upcoming spaceship campus? Far beyond the scope of mobile electronics glass, but curved glass nonetheless.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
qtaran111 Avatar
185 months ago
I'm sure Samsung's lawyers are rubbing their hands together at the thought of Apple releasing an iOS device with curved glass.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Northgrove Avatar
185 months ago
I don't like that the rumors seem to be going towards an iPhone 4S soon this October, and iPhone 5 "sometime ahead, sometime first half 2012". Fortunately I'm not in a hurry, and can't really get a new one until the next year anyway. Not everyone's in that situation though, and I understand you. :p
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
acfusion29 Avatar
185 months ago


Curved glass would look like crap especially on a 4" screen. Dunno why they add it anyway, does it add strength or something if you were to drop it.

i'm sure it would be a subtle curve.

i think the point of it is so you can see in sunlight better.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AllieNeko Avatar
185 months ago
A curve does add strength. Just think, why are water dams curved? In fact, curves are extremely tough

Dams are curved towards the reservoir so that the weight of the water pushes the sides of the dam into the mountain sides rather than down the stream.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mtbgtr Avatar
185 months ago
Concave surface not convex like the Nano. Slightly concave would be make swiping closer to how you hand naturally wants to work, or so the bio-engineers say. Check out the Samsung Nexus S which has it.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

hikawa phone grip stand apple%402x

Apple Launches Second Limited-Edition iPhone Accessory in a Month

Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind. Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe. Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 27 Will Reportedly Have Two Key Upgrades

Sunday November 23, 2025 8:48 am PST by
iOS 27 will reportedly have two major elements: quality improvements and new AI features. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is focused on improving "quality and underlying performance" over adding new features. Gurman said there is one exception to this rule, though, as he expects...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro Looks Like a Huge Upgrade

Friday November 21, 2025 9:10 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Two Breakthrough Features

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:26 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include two standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
General Black Friday Deals 25 Red

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now on AirPods, iPads, Accessories, and More

Friday November 21, 2025 8:48 am PST by
We're only a few days away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
ipad black friday 2025

The Best Early Black Friday iPad Deals

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:20 am PST by
Black Friday is just over a week away, and iPad deals have finally started to flood in at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Below we're tracking discounts on every current generation iPad, including lowest-ever prices on M3 iPad Air and M5 iPad Pro, plus steep markdowns on iPad and iPad mini. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a ...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Wednesday November 19, 2025 4:00 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...