iPhone 6 Sapphire Display Limited to 5.5" Model as LG Struggles with iWatch Display Power Draw?

With conflicting opinions about whether Apple and partner GT Advanced Technologies will have enough sapphire crystal production ramped up for both rumored iPhone 6 models and the iWatch, Taiwan's Economic Daily News is now weighing in [Google Translate, via G 4 Games] with its own claims that only the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 model will include a sapphire display due to production limitations.

According to the report, the smaller 4.7-inch model will continue to use Corning's Gorilla Glass and represent the bulk of shipments for the new iPhone. From G 4 Games:

The source also claims that the 4.7 inch iPhone 6 will hit the market with Gorilla Glass in tow. The main screen suppliers allegedly are LGD and JDI, and in anticipation of the handset’s success, the company expects to ship 60 million units (we assume that by the end of 2014). [...]

As far as the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 goes, it will allegedly be built in limited quantities due to low sapphire yield, leading to a limited supply in 2014, therefore contradicting a recent report which claimed that Apple will have enough sapphire for both iPhone 6 models AND the iWatch.

iphone6
The report also addresses Apple's rumored iWatch, claiming that LG Display has been struggling to meet Apple's demand of nearly zero energy use in standby mode for the device's display. From G 4 Games:

Reportedly, Apple has constantly pushed back the gadget’s release date because the device failed, in the past, to meet the company’s expectations. One of Apple goals with the iWatch is for the smartwatch’s display to draw almost no power when in standby, but this has proven to be a big challenge. And speaking of the display, the device will reportedly feature an OLED screen (between 1.3 and 1.6-inches in size) which will be supplied exclusively by LG Display, just as it’s been reported back in January 2014.

Sources for the report reiterate previous claims that Quanta will be handling the bulk of iWatch production, although Inventec will reportedly also be helping out.

According to today's report, the iPhone 6 and the iWatch will be introduced at the end of the third quarter, roughly in line with rumors and Apple's recent iPhone launch history putting this year's introductions in the September-October timeframe.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.5 With New Wallpaper, Screen Time Changes, Carrier Satellite Support for iPhone 13 and More

Monday May 12, 2025 10:06 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, the fifth updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 come a little over a month after Apple released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. The iOS 18.5 update has a...
iPhone 12 Made in India

Trump Tells Tim Cook to Stop Building iPhones in India

Thursday May 15, 2025 2:21 am PDT by
President Donald Trump has asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to halt the company's manufacturing expansion in India, in a potential disruption of Apple's plan to shift iPhone production away from China. "I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday," Trump said during his state visit to Qatar, according to Bloomberg. "He is building all over India." "They [India] have offered us a deal where...
apple music

Apple Music Gets New Transfer Tool to Make Switching From Spotify Easier

Wednesday May 14, 2025 5:17 pm PDT by
Apple this week introduced a new feature designed to allow prospective Apple Music users to import their saved music and playlists from third-party music services to Apple Music. The feature is either in an expanded testing phase or it has started rolling out, and it is available in Australia and New Zealand according to an Apple Support document. Signs of the transfer option first surfaced...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
maxresdefault

Here's the First Real-World Look at Apple's CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:52 am PDT by
The first videos of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience are now available, providing a never-before-seen look at the long-anticipated iPhone-linked infotainment software. British automaker Aston Martin today shared the first video of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience in-action, followed by a detailed walk-through of the CarPlay Ultra system on Top Gear's YouTube channel, which provides the...

Top Rated Comments

roland.g Avatar
142 months ago
The other day Apple had plenty of sapphire in production and now they don't. Analysts don't know. We'll know when we actually know.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thisisdallas Avatar
142 months ago
So first, Apple doesn't have the 5.5" model ready
Next, they have both ready
After that, they have plenty of glass
Now, they've got only enough glass for the 5.5" model.


I'm just going to go out on a limb and say that both models with feature the sapphire glass and everything will be right on schedule. Honestly my guess is probably as good as these analyst guesses at this point.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nepalisherpa Avatar
142 months ago
Well, 5.5" it is then, for me!
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ballis Avatar
142 months ago
still getting the smallest phone. hardly think saphire will make that much of a difference anyways
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cambookpro Avatar
142 months ago
Taiwan's Economic Daily News Track Record

iTV Launch in Q1-2 2014 with 55" and 60" models (https://www.macrumors.com/2013/08/16/apple-said-to-be-working-with-foxconn-corning-and-innolux-on-itv-for-2014-launch/)

No retina iPad mini until 2014 (https://www.macrumors.com/2013/07/12/more-claims-of-no-retina-ipad-mini-until-early-2014/)

'Experimental' iPhone without branding (safe to say this won't happen) (https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1708494&highlight=economic+daily+news)

iPad 3 on Steve Jobs' birthday (https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1296009&highlight=economic+daily+news)

iPhone nano in June 2009, but not to the USA (https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=633509&highlight=economic+daily+news)

7" iPad to launch by Christmas 2010 (https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=995401)

iPad 3 in 2011 with 2560x1920 display (https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1169944)


Verdict: Not great ;) I'd take this with a pinch of salt.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
darkslide29 Avatar
142 months ago
Please stop using that mockup. That's not what the phone is going to look like. Use something like this instead:

Image (http://i1.wp.com/www.thetechstorm.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/epic520_1_4544_e05ac3ec87759d0b178d0d18b8bb3fb3.jpg?resize=640%2C427)

lol, I like the mockup at the top of the article better. :o
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)