According to a report by China Economic Weekly, Foxconn Technology Group, Apple's main iPhone assembly partner, is apparently gearing up to produce sapphire displays for Apple's next generation of mobile devices. The “sapphire glass” is an intensely durable material that could revolutionize the way we handle our Apple gadgets.

Presently, though iPhone 5s display is made of a Gorilla Glass, two of its most precious parts are surprisingly encased in sapphire glass: its 8-megapixel camera and the Home button’s Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Scratch or smashed camera cover could affect the photos, to prevent this it gets this special treatment. And when it comes to the sensor, it’s also important that its enclosed in a scratch-free, crystal clear surface.

Foxconn, Taiwanese multinational electronics contract manufacturing company, has reportedly reached an agreement to build a display factory on an over 300-acre plot of land adjacent to an iPhone 6 assembly plant in the Chinese city of Zhengzhou.

The report said that Foxxconn has already planned of setting a display factory adjacent to the iPhone 6 assembly plant. It is expected to manufacture sapphire displays for the next generation of the Apple devices. And to bring this to effect it has signed an agreement with the Zhengzhou city government in Henan Province, central China, to set up a display factory on a 133-hectare plot of land.

Apple had considered to use sapphire displays on few models of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, but apparently due to some production difficulties it couldn’t move any further with this idea. The main reason for this being bankruptcy filed by Apple’s sapphire partner, GT Advanced Technologies which led to collapse of the partnership between the two companies.

As per the new reports, Apple is still considering to develop next generation smartphones with sapphire displays. The market researchers believe that Apple is working carefully on the feasibility of introducing iPhone models with sapphire displays and also is working on measures to avoid shortages.

Via: FocusTaiwan