TMCnet News
uBreakiFix Updates on Sapphire Drop Test [Professional Services Close - Up](Professional Services Close - Up Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) uBreakiFix reported in-house testing on sapphire glass. According to a company release, uBreakiFix released two separate videos detailing breaking and testing of sapphire. The first is an impact test on the new Kyocera Brigadier, a smartphone catered to adventure enthusiasts. The phone is touted as nearly indestructible by Kyocera, and sports a sapphire display. "It was a great opportunity to get our hands on Sapphire in an actual Smartphone application," said David Reiff, the company's Co- Founder and Vice President. uBreakiFix tested the phone from 3ft, 4.5ft, 6ft and 8ft, and other than some scuffs on the perimeter plastic the sapphire screen remained intact. In a follow up video that was a bit more thorough, the company stress tested multiple samples of sapphire and Gorilla Glass in a bend fixture. The video gets a bit technical, but the result seems to support the conclusion that sapphire is not a more impact durable material than typically used smartphone glass, though it is certainly harder. In a scratch test using a tungsten carbide scratching mechanism, sapphire was unaffected while gorilla glass and tempered glass suffered deep, visible gashes. In a bending test, uBreakFix showed that though failure strength of the sapphire is about 25 percent higher than glass, it's unable to bend and absorb impact, which could mean impact cracks and shatters. "Our conclusion is that sapphire alone will not equate to an unbreakable iPhone, in fact the brittleness of sapphire glass poses significant problems for engineers to overcome, and we have serious doubts that it will outperform Gorilla Glass. But, we can't say if an iPhone 6 with a sapphire screen will be more or less durable overall. Clever engineering and protective features may still create a very durable device regardless of the use of sapphire," said Reiff. More information and complete details: uBreakiFix.com/learn. ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected])) (c) 2014 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved. |