APPLE Inc. may have disappointed many consumers by not putting sapphire glass covers on its new iPhone, but the scratch-resistant material is gradually making its way into mobile devices despite manufacturing challenges and high costs.

    Speculation had been rife in the weeks leading up to yesterday’s unveiling of the iPhone 6 that some models would have the extra protection after Apple partnered in November with U.S.-based GT Advanced Technologies Inc., a mineral crystal specialist, to make sapphire materials for its devices.

    Apple said sapphire glass would be used on its first smartwatch. It also continues to use the durable material to cover the iPhone’s camera lens and home button, but gave no hints as to if, or when, the glass would be used on iPhone screens.

    Shenzhen-based Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. last week became the first major handset maker to announce the use of sapphire screen covers, saying it would release a limited edition version of its high-end phone with such protection.

    Sapphire glass is the hardest material in nature after diamonds. It is used in LED lighting, high-end jewelry and military equipment such as submarine and rocket windows.

    According to a recent survey by used phone marketplace www.uSell.com, the most wanted new iPhone 6 feature had been sapphire glass, which is also more sensitive to the touch than other screen protectors.

    JP Morgan expects the adoption of sapphire faceplates for smartphones to rise several times next year, albeit from a very low base.

    Some Asian handset makers have been talking with the world’s two biggest suppliers of raw sapphire glass: U.S.-based Rubicon Technology and South Korea’s Sapphire Technology.

    “All smartphone manufacturers have been meeting with all the major sapphire producers, including Rubicon,” William Weissman, chief financial officer of Rubicon, told Reuters by email.

    Apple locked in exclusive supply of the material from GT Advanced with a US$578 million investment in a sapphire manufacturing facility in Arizona.

    Another Chinese company, Xiaomi Inc., has ordered sapphire covers for a limited edition premium smartphone, according to a recent report by South Korea’s Electronic Times. Xiaomi declined to comment.

    Shenzhen-based ZTE Corp. would use sapphire glass on wearable devices it was on the verge of pushing out, an executive said, but did not have immediate plans to introduce such covers on smartphones.

    “We believe it’s not appropriate for large-scale use because the sapphire supply chain remains complicated, the volume is not high and production capacity is insufficient,” said Qianhao Lv, global marketing director of ZTE’s mobile business group.

    LG Electronics Inc. spokesman Ken Hong said the South Korean company had looked at sapphire screen protection but did not believe the technology was ready yet.

    Samsung Electronics Co. and Taiwan’s HTC Corp. declined to comment. Shenzhen-based Coolpad was not immediately available to comment.

    (SD-Agencies)