It looks as though splintered screens may be a thing of the past. Image / YouTube
It looks as though splintered screens may be a thing of the past. Image / YouTube
Given that Apple reportedly spent $578 million buying up sapphire in a Mr Burns-esque deal for the gemstone in February, it clearly had confidence that its use in iPhone 6 displays would be a significant improvement on the current Gorilla Glass.
Now a video from Marques Brownlee has tested thisout, putting what he alleges is the display for a 4.7-inch iPhone 6 through all manner of abuse and torture.
He is seen scratching at its surface with keys, stabbing it with a sharp knife and bending it more than 90 degrees, failing to do any damage to it on any count.
Given that he was only able to acquire the front face of the new iPhone a proper drop test was not possible, though given how durable it proved in other tests it looks as though splintered screens may be a thing of the past.
Apple has used sapphire before, chiefly in its camera lens and more recently to cover the fingerprint scanner, but this is the first time the mineral has been used on such a grand scale.
The sapphire display is expected to be used for both the 5.5 inch and 4.7 inch iPhone 6 models we're expecting (all rumours subject to a huge vat of salt, as always), with concrete news and a release date expected at the end of September.
