Skip to main content

Shocker: Samsung & LG rumored to use sapphire-covered screens on premium smartphones

sapphire

There’s been much speculation about Apple’s plans for its sapphire glass plant, with many suggesting it will use it as a replacement for the Gorilla Glass coatings used on current iPhones when it launches the iPhone 6.

Samsung and LG now reportedly plan to follow suit, with Korean site ET News citing unspecified industry sources as saying that both companies have asked suppliers to provide samples of sapphire covers for its screens … 

According to the industry on May 22, Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics recently asked ingot and wafer makers to submit samples in an effort to adopt the sapphire cover glass […]

“As late as last year, cell phone makers tried very hard to lower the price of sapphire,” said a sapphire ingot industry insider. “But this year as the mood swung toward using good materials to get premium prices, related industries are responding to the market more actively.”

As rumors go, this one is pretty thin. Samsung is known to have explored the use of sapphire in the past, dismissing it as too expensive, and it is likely the decision remains under constant review. Inviting manufacturers to submit samples would therefore not be in any way surprising, and doesn’t necessarily tell us anything about either company’s plans.

But where Apple leads …

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

  1. Michael Superczynski - 10 years ago

    Samsung and premium smartphones are mutually exclusive.

  2. Sadly they’ll probably beat Apple to market. Not sure apple being rumoured to do something can be called leading.

    • Tallest Skil - 10 years ago

      >> Not sure apple being rumored to do something can be called leading.

      Because it was their idea, their R&D, their manufacturing process, and their patents.

      • herb02135go - 10 years ago

        Which they did after Samsung first explored it.

      • Tallest Skil - 10 years ago

        Sure thing. Keep telling yourself that.

      • Maybe Apple will finally be able to get their injunction against Samsung, once they copy steal the secret to their patent Sapphire.

      • kobymac - 10 years ago

        Skilly, does apple just give away their secrets to making sapphire screens? Or is it that Samsung and lg are allowed to use whatever material they want…and that manufacturing sapphire screens might be easy? Apple seems to enjoy trying to patent the obvious.

      • Tallest Skil - 10 years ago

        You’re looking at this through the lens of history. Very few things are obvious until after the fact.

    • Yes (@AMillah) - 10 years ago

      Rumored? Um, I’m pretty sure Apple spent over $500 million to build a huge factory with state of the art sapphire manufacturing processes, just to make this whole thing a reality. Their factory will be capable of producing 2x the entire worlds production capacity. In a single factory. That’s not just some rumor wet dream, thats real innovation and leadership.

      The factory is real you know. Its not rumored. You could go and get a job there if you were actually intelligent enough to be involved with engineering and production.

      • herb02135go - 10 years ago

        And how can we get one of these Apple-produced sapphire objects? Oh, you can’t?
        Then I guess saying what Apple is doing regarding this is just speculation.

        Yes, you can say the company spent a lot of money on it but you have no idea what it will do. Right now, it’s just a money pit.

      • dridots - 10 years ago

        It’s in Mesa Arizona and they contracted them…not bought

      • Tim Jr. - 10 years ago

        @dridots Technically, they plopped $500 million down in a partnership.. Meaning they have rights to the processes and equipment in the plant.. They basically directly built the plant and custom built the processes and equipment and are handing it over for their partners to manage.

    • dcj001 - 10 years ago

      If Samsung copies Apple, with regard to a rumor about what Apple might be planning to do, then they are following, which means that the rumor is leading.

  3. Alex Gusnawan - 10 years ago

    Yeaahhh, just copy it, end of story lol

  4. David Tan - 10 years ago

    whenever apple is rumor-ing something, their competitors will catch them up.

  5. herb02135go - 10 years ago

    As this biased article states, Samsung has previously explored using Sapphire. Now that there is a RUMOR (not a fact) how can that be considered copying?

    It’s not at all unusual for industry standards to evolve. Of course many fanboys here may not be familiar with that concept.

  6. akuyangdijaatin - 10 years ago

    Much original. Such wow.

  7. danbridgland - 10 years ago

    All you Shamedung fanboys remind me of the game changer naysayers of the late naughties. Totally in denial. Anyone remember Mike Lazaridis, Stephen Elop? Nah!

  8. Farid Achmad Noer - 10 years ago

    Apple is damn good, they create the best product ever with steve jobs. I’m not sure with the other products

  9. Paul Lancefield - 10 years ago

    Of course they are. Their strategy is based not in their own design reasoning or belief, but on deny as many points of differentiation as possible. Even as a consumer I find their approach suffocating. To Apple they are like a crazed stalker. If I change my hair blue, and the next day exit through the back door, my heart sinks as 2 mins later, there’s crazy, following me round with matching blue hair.

  10. m (@awwgoddammit) - 10 years ago

    I guess I missed the shocking part…

  11. i2fun - 10 years ago

    Samsung has actually had phones with Sapphire Screens before & been monitoring it’s use & prices. Android Vertu was the 1st to use actual Sapphire screens in the 90’s. Their latest $10,000 to 16,000 Dollar phones all have Platinum cases and sapphire screens still!

Author

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


Ben Lovejoy's favorite gear