Just as you thought you’d heard all of the rumors surrounding the fifth-generation iPhone, we have a brand new one for you that claims the device could feature a “curved cover glass.”
Apple has purchased 200-300 glass cutting machines necessary for producing curved glass displays, according to industry sources speaking to DigiTimes. While the high cost of this equipment makes cover glass suppliers reluctant to invest in the technology themselves, Apple has used some of its own cash to provide them with the machines.
There’s still no indication of when we’ll see the device, though:
There has been no timetable yet for the volume production of iPhone 5 as Apple is currently still working with related suppliers including those involved in cover glass, glass cutting, lamination and touch sensors to improve yield rates, the sources commented.
The Samsung Nexus S was the first smartphone to adopt a concave curved glass display, which is said to improve usability over a perfectly flat display, according to Samsung’s research. However, the iPhone 5 could be about to follow in its footsteps.
It’s hard to predict what kind of design an iPhone with a curved display may adopt, but it certainly won’t be identical to the iPhone 4 – which is what many reports have predicted for the fifth-generation device.
[via MacRumors]
Killian Bell is a freelance writer based in the U.K. He has an interest in all things tech and also covers Android over at CultofAndroid.com. You can follow him on Twitter via @killianbell.
