Next iPhone 5 to Employ Curved Glass?

Curved glass? Say what? Yes, that’s right if the latest report from Digitimes is reliable. They report the word on the streets around supply chains in Taiwan is that curved colour glass is coming in the next iPhone.

Cover glass makers are reluctant to commit investment to the purchase of glass cutting equipment due to the high capital involved, said the sources.

However, in order to push forward the production of curved glass, Apple reportedly has purchased 200-300 glass cutting machines to be used by glass makers, said the sources.

The glass slicing machines are currently being stored at associated assembly plants and will be brought online once yield rates for the production of curved glass reaches a satisfactory level, the sources revealed.

Apple is reported to announce the next generation iPhone 5/iPhone 4S in September. Expect possibly a sneak peek or surprise introduction at WWDC, which takes place in two weeks.

The evolution of the original iPhone to the current iPhone 4 has remained quite similar in terms of form factor. I don’t see how curved glass could make its way into the next design, but you never know with Apple.

[Digitimes]