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(Wireless-NewsWire.Com, November 06, 2014 ) San Francisco, California -- A lot of the hype that surrounded the release of the iphone 6 and 6+ was that Apple were going to use "Sapphire" in the screens of the new devices. Sapphire is incredibly tough and requires almost diamond strength to cut it so was seen as some to be a brilliant alternative. The fact is, Apple was never going to use sapphire in the new smart phones and here is why.
The trend in smart phone design is to make thinner, lighter devices, while making them larger at the same time. That is not easy to do. Here is the kicker: Sapphire is about 30% denser than glass and using it would require compromise on design, something Apple was not prepared to do.
Cost is also a big factor. Apple is already at the top end of the price range and it would have had to charge even more for a sapphire covered phone. Sapphire costs about 10 times more than a sheet of strengthened glass. This could add at least $100 to the cost of an already expensive phone, which just might make it a deal breaker to mainstream phone users.
The other problem with using sapphire is that, research shows, it doesn't transmit light as well as glass so to have the same level of brightness in a screen requires more power. As we know, battery life is the number one area of complaint for cell phone users. This is a problems that can't be fixed easily. Glass can also have an anti reflective solution embedded into it to reduce glare outdoors. Sapphire requires a coating to achieve the same result which, over time, will wear off.
Sapphire is very hard but also very brittle. Its inherent structure makes it susceptible to flaws that can occur across the crystal plane. It can be likened to a sheet of ice - small cracks will weaken the surface that will only hold on for so long before it fails.
On the other hand, glass can be reinforced with the use of chemicals that actually alters the atomic structure and strengthens the area around the scratches to insulate the glass longer against breaking.
A new release on the market is the toughened glass screen protector from SpartanFive, a company associated with the cell phone market. The glass produced by the Japanese company Asahi , better know for the production of glass used in high end camera lenses, undergoes a chemical process to toughen the glass. This means that not only is it stronger, but that it is also thinner. The average thickness of these glass covers is 0.2mm. Glass also has the added benefit of being flexible which means that it is less likely to shatter. However, being toughened means that if it does shatter, it will hold together, like a car wind screen, rather than break into dangerous shards.
Owner of SpartanFive, Bruce Stanley, says "We have spent alot of time looking into just what makes a good screen protector. The glass we have used is really a composite material that manages to achieve a variety of goals. Firstly there is the quality of the glass itself. Asahi produce some of the best camera lense glass in the world so that was an easy choice. The chemical process they use to harden the glass gives it a rating of 9H which is just below the 10H of diamond. We have added an oleophobic coating which literally repels oil making cleaning fingerprints and the like very easy.
The texture of the glass means that you still get that soft and delicate touch so the sensitivity of the touch screen is not altered. The silicone adhesive used to connect the glass to the phone screen is also unique. It works in such a way as to remove an bubbles from between the two surfaces making a seamless connection. Because it is glass we have been able to do a variety of things with it to produce a range of finishes, from mirror to privacy screens that are only visible to the user. If you turn the phone to a 60 degree angle, the screen disappears which make these great for use in busy areas where privacy is essential."
About SpartanFive
SpartanFive is a company currently involved in the phone accessory market whose focus is on providing customers with top quality premium products at an affordable price.
SpartanFive
Emma Brooks
(415) 554-6364
emma@spartanfive.com
Source: EmailWire.Com 
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