Apple is apparently researching a method to make the glass on the front of an iPhone thinner and stronger. The company aims to achieve this by making a special support structure that will be used around the edges, which will also be made of glass.

The Cupertino based giant filed a patent with the US Patent and Trademark Office (Via AppleInsider), which was titled “Insert molding around glass members for portable electronic devices.” For those unaware, smartphones and other mobile devices, or even larger displays uses glass panels on the front of the actual displays. This panel serves the primary function of protecting the screen on the inside from direct impact and scratches. It is often used in a manner to make the display fit seamlessly with the design of any device.

Now, the new patent from Apple states that it will have the same glass cover stick out from the rest of the enclosure, similar to curved displays, although it aims to maintain the thinness of the main glass sections overall. In simpler terms, while the glass might stick out from the design, it won’t add to the girth of the device as it will be thinner. However, thinness usually compromises on strength, but the iPhone maker seeks to employ a solution that has it adopt a glass structure around the edges of the glass cover.

This glass structure will act as an intermediary between the primary enclosure and the thin glass cover. It will also have a lip on the outside edge surrounding where the glass cover will be placed. Unfortunately, this is still a patent and it is unclear if the company is actually planning on incorporating this solution into its future products. So stay tuned for more updates.

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Technology is expanding exponentially in the past few years and now, new research suggests that transparent material made of wood might replace glasses in the future. And, who knows it might trickle down to smartphones as well.

The research as spotted by PhoneArena, is published on the USDA(US Department of Agriculture) website. Researcher Junyong Zhu has the conducted research in collaboration with the University of Maryland and Colorado. As per the website, the team has developed the material made of Balsa wood. And, according to experts, the transparent wood is durable and lighter than glass.

Editor’s Pick: Future of Transparent OLEDs is in Automobiles: CEO of OTI Lumionics

How is it made?

Besides, the researches have utilized the wood from the Balsa tree. Residing in the genus of flowering plants, this tree grows faster and can reach a height of 30m. It is already applicable widely in the field of model-building, packing, insulation, and floatation devices. Coming back, the wood from the Balsa tree is subject to an oxidization bath at room temperature. Additionally, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is penetrated to make it virtually transparent like Glass.

Advantages over Glass

The report says the transparent wood is five times thermal efficient, durable, and lighter than Glass. The presence of natural cellulose, when combined with the PVA polymer, will reportedly make the transparent material bend as well. Additionally, the material splinters, unlike Glass that shatters when broken. It basically means the transparent wood will tear into small spicule shaped pieces if damaged.

Also, the report says manufacturing Glass costs more energy bills, heavy carbon footprint, and emissions of up to 25,000 metric tonnes a year. Hence, the development of transparent material might help reduce this in the future and be sustainable as well.

For now, it is like a potential alternative to Glasses on houses’ windows. However, the report says it is compatible with existing industrial equipment, and hence, the transition to manufacturing is not far away. That said, it is expected to be used in the Automotive industry, and maybe as an alternative to Glass in display technology. Hence, we can’t rule out the possibility of this ultimately trickling down to Smartphone displays in the future.

Up Next: Samsung scraps the idea of introducing Under-Display Camera technology with the Galaxy S21 series: Report

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The OnePlus 6 teasers are still pouring in and the latest one has to do with the design. After using metal for its last three phones, OnePlus is switching to new materials for the OnePlus 6.

A new teaser posted on the official Twitter page shows the bottom part of the OnePlus 6 and from the appearance, it seems to be covered in glass. There is also the text “Designed by OnePlus” inscribed on it.

OnePlus is one of the few manufacturers that has stuck to metal when others switched to glass. Before the OnePlus 3, its first two phones had plastic back plates. Actually, the OnePlus 6 won’t be its first phone covered in glass on both sides. That title goes to the OnePlus X.

Same expert craftsmanship, new materials. #OnePlus6 pic.twitter.com/4ded4eFZMj

— OnePlus (@oneplus) April 20, 2018

OnePlus also wants us to know that this design is original and not a rip-off of the OPPO R15 hence the inscription at the bottom. Even with the change in materials, OnePlus assures us of the craftsmanship of the OnePlus 6.

In the tweet, OnePlus says “…new materials” not material. Our guess is that the phone may come in more than one design and glass is one of them.  If you still remember, when the leaks just began pouring in, a photo of an alleged OnePlus 6 with a wood-grain back surfaced online. This may be one of the new materials. There is also a chance that there is just one and we our guess is wrong.

READ MORE: OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T Receive Android 8.1 Oreo Update, Brings April’s Security Patch Too

Notwithstanding, a change in design is welcome but switching to glass also means fingerprint smudges and cracks when it falls even though the back is most likely Gorilla Glass too. The switch to glass may also mean that the OnePlus 6 may feature wireless charging but the chances are slim.

OnePlus has said wireless charging is still not as fast as Dash Charge, so there is no reason for it yet. The statement was made last year and there is a chance they may have changed their stance on the feature.

(Source)

The post Latest Teaser Confirms The OnePlus 6 Will Have A Glass Back appeared first on Gizmochina.

Smartphones have come a long way since they first started appearing in the market. We have seen many great phone companies rise and fall in this period, and the best example that comes to our mind is Nokia.

During the Symbian Era, we saw a number of different smartphone designs. Every phone from a known manufacturer had a different design. So there were candy bar phones, sliders, flip phones and a lot other varieties. However, as soon as Android and iOS brought about a touch revolution in the market, slowly each and every phone started to look the same with a similar candy bar design.

As for the body, for a long time, smartphones were made from plastic. Companies even tried out some different options such as metal, wood and leather. Each one has its own set of pros and cons and we are sure our readers will be divided as to which material they like the best.

Plastic was popularized by Samsung, since up till last year, almost all of the company’s smartphones were made out of plastic. It isn’t surprising to see the wide spread use of plastic for the smartphone body, since the material had a lot of advantages. First of all, its super cheap to mass produce. Secondly, its light weight, which meant that plastic phones were super easy to carry. Moreover, plastic doesn’t interfere with smartphone signal which came as an added advantage. So, naturally, most smartphone manufacturers went with plastic. Even today, maximum phones, especially the low cost ones are made entirely out of a plastic body.

After plastic, metal comes out as another popular option. The solid looks and the natural strength of metal naturally made it a good choice for the body. Metal smartphones were much more sturdy and the internals were also well protected under the solid shell. The good looks further increased the popularity of this material, which is evident from the immense praise that the HTC’s One series smartphones have received in the past three years. Also, the excellent heat dissipating property made it a good choice for powerful phones. However, metal isn’t without any drawbacks. One of the biggest disadvantages of using metal on a smartphone was the added weight. Yes, metal bodies smartphones are way more heavier than plastic ones, which may put off some customers. However, recently, companies have managed to solve that problem too, which has increased the use of metal on smartphones.

Another popular smartphone material used by many, especially in recent times is glass. Many flagship smartphones feature 2.5D glass these days, which enhances the overall looks of the device. Although glass is not as strong as metal, the advent of Gorilla Glass and even Sapphire Glass has made it possible for companies to use it in smartphones. I don’t think, I will have to explain the stress, scratch and other resistant features of Gorilla Glass and Sapphire Glass.

Apart from Glass, Metal and Plastic, companies are also using leather, especially for the rear casing. While the use of leather isn’t really a new concept, as luxury smartphone makers were offering this option from the start, recently, even the mainstream smartphone makers have started to use this material on their smartphones. The best example would be of Moto’s Moto Maker program which gives the user the option to customize their phone with leather. Another recent example is the LG G4 which comes with a beautiful leather back. The advantage of leather is that it feels premium and does not attract a lot of fingerprints. Also, it makes the phone stand out of the crowd. However, on the other hand, its not easy to remove stains from leather. Hence, if you are not a careful user, you will soon spoil your smartphone’s body, which is not as easy in case of plastic, glass or even metal.

Ofcourse, these aren’t the only options available to customers right now. At present, they can choose between materials such as kevlar, wood, and even ones with special coating as in the case of the LG G Flex (self-healing).

Each material has its own strength and weaknesses. However, in the coming age, it looks like we may see some newer materials (such as the one used in the G Flex) on smartphones which will be much better than plastic, glass or even metal.

So, which material would you like the best? Feel free to share which one would you prefer as well as the reason for your choice in the comments section below.

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