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

Tuesday June 17, 2014 8:39 am PDT by Eric Slivka
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 Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 5
Tags: udn.com, Economic Daily News
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
[ 88 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

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Avatar
roland.g
64 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.
Rating: 23 Votes
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thisisdallas
64 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.
Rating: 13 Votes
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nepalisherpa
64 months ago
Well, 5.5" it is then, for me!
Rating: 9 Votes
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Ballis
64 months ago
still getting the smallest phone. hardly think saphire will make that much of a difference anyways
Rating: 8 Votes
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cambookpro
64 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.
Rating: 6 Votes
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darkslide29
64 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
Rating: 5 Votes
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Merkyworks
64 months ago

Agreed! I'm not going to buy a huge phone just so I can have that best/latest features.


You are right....I'm going to buy a huge phone cause I want a larger screen :p
Rating: 5 Votes
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Goldfrapp
64 months ago
Analysts talking out of their anals, as always.
Rating: 5 Votes
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bluestarCVO
64 months ago

BS if its not sapphire on the one that's a reasonable size then I'm not upgrading.


Agreed! I'm not going to buy a huge phone just so I can have that best/latest features.
Rating: 4 Votes
Avatar
Goldfrapp
64 months ago

i will hate Apple if they will focus all the premium materials only for the 5.5"

Who cares about other sizes.

The bigger the better. You can do so much more with it.
Rating: 4 Votes

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