One of the most interesting dramas of the year is Apple’s intention to bring sapphire technology to its next iOS and Apple Watch lineup. We heard an insane amount of rumors regarding Apple’s plans with sapphire at the beginning of this year, but these all began to fade as we heard of more and more production delays on the side of GT Advanced. We thought that the recent filing for bankruptcy wouldn’t affect Apple’s plans, but in the end, it seems they did.
Apple and GT Advanced Technologies have just made the rupture of their agreement official. This drops the exclusivity deal between Apple and GT Advanced to produce sapphire, and at the same time it gives GT Advanced four years to pay back the $439 million investment that Apple made in the company, at no interest. We also understand that GT Advanced is no longer planning to build sapphire, but instead, to sell its furnace technology to other suppliers.
GT Advanced did mention that it will continue to help Apple in a sort of technological exchange, but we doubt this will mean sapphire iPhones in the near future.
