About a week ago, we reported that Kyocera was planning on releasing a sapphire smartphone of their own. Well if you were a bit skeptical, you might be pleased to learn that Kyocera has since confirmed that they will indeed be releasing a handset that utilizes a sapphire display, but unfortunately the feature, release date, and specs of the device remain unknown.
Kyocera has recently released a teaser video for a product called the Sapphire Shield, although we’re not sure that will be the actual name of the device upon its release, or if it is the name of the sapphire display that the company plans on using with their smartphone. The company has called it an “affordable pure sapphire display” and have told the folks at MacRumors that it will given them a competitive edge in terms of durability.
In some ways Kyocera’s choice is pretty interesting because last we heard, smartphone OEMs weren’t particularly enthusiastic about sapphire as a material that can be used for displays. They claim that not only is it more expensive, it is more brittle and does not flex the same as glass would, meaning that chances of it cracking when hitting a hard surface would be higher than normal glass.
However there is an upside which is that sapphire when treated right, will offer up a clearer display. It is also a lot harder than glass which means that unless you use a diamond, chances of your display getting scratched would be pretty slim. In any case we have to wonder if Kyocera could be beating Apple to the punch with their release, but fret not as we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for more info.
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