Posted on 07/09/2014 11:47:56 AM PDT by shove_it
Apple has patented a method for building devices with all-glass outer casings (via AppleInsider), by fusing pieces together for a completely seamless final look. The all-glass device casings could be used to hold the internals of an iOS device or to house a TV or monitor, too.
The all-glass structures are designed for maximum durability but also weight savings, with designs that fuse pieces together to avoid having to use a single heavy block of material, and internal structures like fused-on ribs and reinforcement points, also made of glass, placed at key points where structural integrity could be weaker.
Unlike the iPhone 4, which featured front and back glass panels, the patent would allow Apple to build completely glass-encased gadgets, which would allow for a completely different aesthetic versus other gadget-maker’s designs. An all-glass Retina Cinema Display would certainly stand out from the crowd in terms of monitors, and an all-glass iPhone would definitely draw even more headlines than usual.
Of course, glass is still subject to impact damage and other potential pitfalls. And as with many of its other patents, Apple may simply have experimented with the tech but then moved on to something else (like sapphire glass construction, for instance), but the patent does cite Apple SVP Jony Ive as one of its main inventors. Flat glass slabs are a staple of sci-fi TV and movies, after all, so maybe Apple wants to help usher that future into production.
(Excerpt) Read more at techcrunch.com ...
Maybe, but unless the glass is extremely shatterproof, not a good idea.
Will they work underwater?
ping
what happens should you drop it?
All glass case, because...
why limit cracks to the front of the phone?
Is this the big next thing rumored coming from AAPL?
They break too easy as it is
That should shatter any misconceptions about Apple’s thoughts on product maintenance.
Every I Phone I see not in a protective cover is shattered. So if there is a weight savings it better include a cover.
Plain old clear Castolite would be a better material.
It’s extremely cheap as well. You could pop off the old case if it got too beat up and get a new one for a few bucks.
That's fine, for those who like it. This idea seems to be the logical conclusion. NOBODY, not even an Apple Certified Guru, will be able to crack it.
Gorilla Glass, used in the military is used right now on phones.
It’s my understanding corning developed gorilla glass for steve jobs
Perhaps ...
Here is a list of devices with Gorilla Glass.
You might find it interesting.
That does sound weird for a piece of consumer electronics. Wouldn’t you WANT to be able to open it, for example to retrieve a hard drive’s contents?
That’s Apple.
They’re Different.
It’s just the way it is ... some folks don’t WANT to tinker with their hardware ... Apple supplies them what they want.
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