Apple's Beats brand in April unveiled the Powerbeats Pro, a redesigned wire-free version of its popular fitness-oriented Powerbeats earbuds.
Uncertainty Over Apple's Sapphire Plans for iPhone 6 Remains as Analyst Estimates Vary Widely
Debate among analysts over just how widespread Apple's use of sapphire displays will be in the iPhone 6 continues to rage, with The Korea Herald reporting on a new research note from NPD DisplaySearch Korea's Brian Huh putting Apple's sapphire display capacity at 45 million units for the iPhone 6 launch. With the iPhone 6 predicted to launch in an initial batch nearing 70 million units, Apple would not be able to use sapphire across the entire lineup.“Apple’s sapphire material supplier, GT Advanced Technologies, appears capable of producing the glass for around 45 million smartphones. Still, only the iPhone 6’s most premium models may adopt it due to its high cost and a possible supply (set aside) for the iWatch,” said Brian Huh, a senior analyst at NPD DisplaySearch Korea, at its touch conference in Seoul.Separately, Huh also believes Apple will eventually use sapphire for its laptop displays, although manufacturing complexities and costs at those sizes would be challenging for Apple.
He said the 64GB version of either the 5.5-inch or 4.7-inch model is likely to adopt the glass. The iPhone 6 will reportedly come in 32GB and 64GB models.
Huh is certainly not the first to suggest that sapphire may be limited to high-end iPhone 6 models, with previous reports from Taiwanese media and KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo making similar claims.
A second research report from JPMorgan publicized by Taipei Times (via GforGames) claims Apple's sapphire display production may only be around 10 million units through the end of the year.
“Sapphire covers will also be restricted to high-end iPhones, possibly the 128GB [gigabyte] ones,” the brokerage said in the report. [...]In line with another recent report, JPMorgan also believes even the iWatch may see sapphire limited to certain models.
“Due to various challenges related to the new cover material, we believe the production output for sapphire covers will be low,” JPMorgan analysts said. “Sapphire ingot yield rates could be as low as below 50 percent for this size, and finished sapphire smartphone covers may cost as much as US$40 to US$45 versus below US$10 for finished Gorilla glass.”
On the flip side, one of the staunchest advocates claiming Apple will be able to launch sapphire displays throughout the iPhone 6 lineup has been Matt Margolis, who has been digging deeply into regulatory and import filings related to the sapphire plant in Arizona being run by Apple and GT Advanced Technologies. Margolis early this year pegged Apple's sapphire display capacity in excess of 100 million units per year, and perhaps as high as 200 million units, with the facility in operation since very early this year.
Margolis reiterated those predications just last month, noting that the plant 2,500 furnaces on hand to handle larger sapphire boules that would give Apple plenty of capacity to cover all models of the iPhone 6 as well as the rumored iWatch.
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68 months ago
Sounds like a bunch of BS to me.....
I predict NO Sapphire on iPhones this year and NO 5.5" model either. Just like every year Apple will deliver the minimum upgrades they can get away with.
I predict NO Sapphire on iPhones this year and NO 5.5" model either. Just like every year Apple will deliver the minimum upgrades they can get away with.
68 months ago
Seems unlikely to me - such dramatic fracturing of iPhone models (especially WITHIN the size variations) does not really fit the Apple marketing norm. Having two different size iPhone available is a huge divergence - adding different subdivisions within sizes seems like a big jump to me. Just my 2 cents.
68 months ago
I hope the Sapphire isn't premium, but if it is, at least make it available on both sizes Apple. I'm willing to pay for quality products, but not willing to compromise with a massive screen.
68 months ago
Separately, Huh also believes Apple will eventually use sapphire for its laptop displays, although manufacturing complexities and costs at those sizes would be challenging for Apple.
Next they'll be predicting sapphire windows for the mothership. A sapphire laptop display makes about as much sense as a gold plated SIM card eject tool.
68 months ago
Sapphire for laptop displays? I think Huh needs to have his head checked... that just seems like an extravagant waste of money. Laptop displays don;t have nearly the exposure or risk of scratching as phones or watches. You don't put a laptop into a bag with the screen out so it can get scratched by your keys!
68 months ago
3GS=speed
4s=Siri
5s=security
6s=sapphire display
dont see it as a selling point. the avg. customer will be like huh and end up slapping a screen protector on it after all.
"i predict no iPhone 6 with 5.5 this fall and also sapphire saved for the 6S while iWatch will be the first and only device to adopt it in the fall"
68 months ago
Sapphire for laptop displays? I think Huh needs to have his head checked... that just seems like an extravagant waste of money. Laptop displays don;t have nearly the exposure or risk of scratching as phones or watches. You don't put a laptop into a bag with the screen out so it can get scratched by your keys!
Agreed. That statement lost this guy all credibility.
68 months ago
Okay....so one analyst says yes to all models, all sizes, and the other says, 'no, just premium'
Make up your mind.
This isn't a rumor. It's what 'analysts' think.
Their guess is about as good as mine.
MacRumors has published so many articles that contradict each other on the same topic (sapphire display) that I don't know - or have an idea of what's right.
So, who's lying and who's telling the truth?
.......this seems unlikely anyway.
Flip flopping like a pancake.
Make up your mind.
This isn't a rumor. It's what 'analysts' think.
Their guess is about as good as mine.
MacRumors has published so many articles that contradict each other on the same topic (sapphire display) that I don't know - or have an idea of what's right.
So, who's lying and who's telling the truth?
.......this seems unlikely anyway.
Flip flopping like a pancake.
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