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iPhone 6 Scratch Test Video Tortures Sapphire Screen

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The iPhone 6 screen is not only bigger than the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5, it is tougher thanks to Sapphire. This tough material protects the display from scratches inflicted by keys and even by a knife. A new iPhone 6 video showcases the durability of the Sapphire display cover on the iPhone 6 thanks to a leaked iPhone 6 part.

This latest iPhone 6 part leak all but confirms that Apple’s 500 million dollar investment in GT Advanced Technologies is for a Sapphire covered iPhone 6 display. Apple already uses Sapphire on the lens cover and the home button of the iPhone 5s, and now it looks like the new iPhone will get a full treatment.

Apple already uses Gorilla Glass from Corning, a chemically strengthened glass to protect the front of the iPhone 5s and other iPhones. This is better than the plastic and glass found on early smartphones, but not impervious to scratches. Users who wear a lot of jewelry, carry more keys than a janitor or carry the iPhone in a crowded bag or purse may soon see small scratches form on the iPhone 5s.

An iPhone 6 scratch test video shows the strength of Sapphire.

An iPhone 6 scratch test video shows the strength of Sapphire.

We see a 4.7-inch iPhone 6 front panel made of Sapphire that matches up exactly to the iPhone 6 mock up we have in hand, with thin bezels and like other leaks we see curved edges.

The idea behind Sapphire is that unless you take your diamond ring to it, scratches will not be an issue. Sapphire screen protectors offered similar protection for a while now, but this will be the first mass production smartphone in the U.S. to use Sapphire for a full screen.

In a new iPhone 6 scratch test video Marques Brownlee delivers a closer look at the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 Sapphire display. This is further proof that Apple plans to use Sapphire on the iPhone 6 4.7-inch model, not just a larger 5.5-inch model. In the five-minute video below MKBHD tortures the iPhone 6 display with keys, a knife and bending beyond what a normal smartphone will suffer.

This video starts with a key scratch text to simulate carrying the iPhone in your pocket or purse with keys. Although keys can cause scratches on other glass most smartphones fare well in this type of test. Next up is a knife, which is where some other smartphones start to show marks, especially after stabs and hard back and forth sawing. This is not something you’ll run into while carrying an iPhone 6 every day, but it illustrates the strength of this material.

After all of that is done Brownlee proceeds to bend the display dramatically to show what this Sapphire iPhone 6 display cover can handle. When it is on an iPhone this type of bending won’t happen, but it is interesting to see how strong this very thing sheet of Sapphire is. We still need to see how it can handle a drop test.

The video above shows a similar torture test on the Galaxy S5, which does not use the same Sapphire cover. It stands up to keys well, and to the initial knife attacks, but starts to show some scratching after repeated knife attacks.

If you want to know how well the iPhone 6 will stand up to your abuse this is a good idea of how at least part of it will work. Corning claims Sapphire will not survive drops and impacts as well as Gorilla Glass, but we’ll need to wait for more detailed tests and possibly the iPhone 6 release to see that in action.

The iPhone 6 release date is rumored for September 19th in the U.S. following an early September launch event. We expect to see two iPhone 6 models with 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch displays. Leaks show a thinner iPhone with a completely new design. For more on what to expect check out the latest iPhone 6 rumors.

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. JC

    07/08/2014 at 10:09 am

    “Corning claims Sapphire will not survive drops and impacts as well as Sapphire,” Huh??

  2. Jamie

    08/11/2014 at 12:53 pm

    How many times are we to see this video.Apple can go to hell.

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