Apple patents a way to make all-glass iOS devices and monitors

[Justin Kahn]

Apple has patented a new way to create all-glass housings for electronic devices. The filing goes over a way to fuse together pieces of glass that could be used for iOS gadgets as well as TV and display devices.

While there appears to be a few immediate issues that come to mind with a glass case, like how well it can handle being dropped even mildly, the patent covers a design that is apparently both light and durable. It outlines a particular method of fusing various pieces of glass together at specific points, as well as the use of support ribs to maintain light weight and structural integrity.

The back surface of devices housed with the glass composite could have a slightly translucent tinted look to them or have a completely opaque back to hide the internals, according to the patent. The option to have the back be entirely see through is left open as well.

While the patented material at hand, which credits Apple's SVP Jony Ive as one of the inventors, may never see the light of day, something like this could separate Apple even further from the competition in both the smartphone and display markets. Apple has been moving away from glass-backed devices since iPhone 4, so this could likely be something the company is just keeping in its patent portfolio for legal reasons.

Image via Shutterstock

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https://www.techspot.com/news/57358-apple-patents-a-way-to-make-all-glass-ios-devices-and-monitors.html

 

[Satish Mallya]

Article title is disingenuous. It should read "Apple patents a way to make all-glass devices and monitors"

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Yup. Apples patents are really headline grabbing. I wonder if an Apple employee went to the toilet today because if one did, I haven't read about it yet.

 

[GhostRyder]

Would love to see an all glass device, would be sick looking.

 

[Rippleman]

Yup. Apples patents are really headline grabbing. I wonder if an Apple employee went to the toilet today because if one did, I haven't read about it yet.

but yet, on each and every single apple thread, here you are.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

but yet, on each and every single apple thread, here you are.

Yup, here I am. You know what they say about soapies and Apple is just one big overpriced, overrated soapie, not that I watch soapie's but I like a good drama especially one where Apple comes 2nd.

 

[mctommy]

but yet, on each and every single apple thread, here you are.

Yup, here I am. You know what they say about soapies and Apple is just one big overpriced, overrated soapie, not that I watch soapie's but I like a good drama especially one where Apple comes 2nd.

Overpriced? All phones are overpriced not just Apple. Most $600+ phones have manufacturing costs in the range of $190-240 not including R&D and supply chain costs... likely yielding $200-300 profit to Samsung, HTC, Apple.

 

[Rippleman]

Overpriced? All phones are overpriced not just Apple. Most $600+ phones have manufacturing costs in the range of $190-240 not including R&D and supply chain costs... likely yielding $200-300 profit to Samsung, HTC, Apple.

shhh... don't tell anyone... it will melt their apple hating brains.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Overpriced? All phones are overpriced not just Apple. Most $600+ phones have manufacturing costs in the range of $190-240 not including R&D and supply chain costs... likely yielding $200-300 profit to Samsung, HTC, Apple.

I couldn't agree more that they're all overpriced but Apple stands peerless at the pinnacle.

 

[mctommy]

Overpriced? All phones are overpriced not just Apple. Most $600+ phones have manufacturing costs in the range of $190-240 not including R&D and supply chain costs... likely yielding $200-300 profit to Samsung, HTC, Apple.

I couldn't agree more that they're all overpriced but Apple stands peerless at the pinnacle.

such oxymoron... as there are no pinnacle unless you have irrefutable proof/fact that apple is the most overpriced.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

such oxymoron... as there are no pinnacle unless you have irrefutable proof/fact that apple is the most overpriced.

I don't need irrefutable proof, just common sense to know where to throw my money around. Apples prices differ from country to country, e.g. over here the old 5S is far more expensive than the new SGS5.