Sapphire crystal displays might soon be the in thing, probably much to Corning’s dismay. Now even Kyocera might be outfitting one of its upcoming smartphones with the almost indestructible material, as seen in this leaked lab test video, which might actually be a perfect fit given the company’s line of devices.
Saphire crystal glass has recently caught the attention of the mobile industry, primarily due to rumors of Apple employing the material for its upcoming iPhone 6 smartphone. Or smartphones, if you consider that there will be two size variants. Apple already uses just a small serving of the material to protect its camera lens and, more recently, to cover its Touch ID sensor. Sapphire glass is durable, scratch resistant, and clear. But Corning, who manufacturers the popular Gorilla Glass screens, says that it is also more expensive, heavier, and more harmful to the environment, while not really denying sapphire’s enticing qualities.
The video below shows Kyocera testing out those qualities itself, in what can be best described as a torture test for smartphones. On one hand you have a smartphone with a regular impact-resistant glass, most probably Corning’s, and on the other corner you have a Kyocera Sapphire. Scratching with a stone, dropping the display over a sharp object, and all manner of rather painful simulated “accidents” are unleashed on the two devices, with the sapphire one obviously surviving unscathed. Well, almost unscathed.
Kyocera manufacturers quite a number of smartphones, but its mainstay line are rugged and element-resistant ones. It definitely makes sense that the company would be looking into something like sapphire crystal to improve its smartphones. However, the determining factor will most likely be one of price. Kyocera’s handsets aren’t exactly the most expensive in the market, but utilizing sapphire glass could very well push those price tags up, which could be a bitter pill to swallow for some of Kyocera’s loyal customers.
VIA: CNET
