Whether or not they end up being true, Apple rumors can get pretty ridiculous -- especially as Apple fanboys gear up for an upcoming iPhone release. We wanted to gather some of the more colorful (yet, still somewhat plausible!) rumors we’ve seen floating around the blogosphere. Prepare yourself for an iPhone 6 built for you by robots, with a bendable screen made from sapphire, that can survive repeated stabs with a knife without sustaining a single scratch!
Bendy Screen
Sonny Dickson, frequent iOS parts leaker, recently posted two videos online showing himself bending the alleged sapphire display of the iPhone 6. Despite being paperthin, the screen withstands some fairly extreme bends at the hands of Dickson. Of course, the average iPhone 6 user will never bend their screen, since it will be attached to the body of the phone when it’s actually in use. However, the flexibility of the screen is a good indicator of how well the screen will be able to survive drops and impacts. The more flexible the screen, the more resilient it should be, and the less prone to shatter.
Read more about the bendy screen here: http://www.macrumors.com/2014/07/07/iphone-6-front-panel-bend/
Stab-Proof
Marques Brownlee, a tech video host on YouTube, took it a couple steps further than the bend-test with the sapphire iPhone 6 display. Not only does he bend it more than Sonny Dickson, but he also sets out to try to scratch the surface of the display using keys and a knife. He really puts some elbow grease in, even going so far as to repeatedly stab the front of the screen with the knife using a good amount of force. The screen comes out of the experience without a single scratch. Brownlee hypothesizes that he might be able to break it by dropping a heavy rock onto it. Again, we aren’t able to drop-test the screen until it’s attached to the body of the phone. However, these tests do point to higher durability for the iPhone 6.
Read more about stabbing the iPhone 6 here: http://9to5mac.com/2014/07/07/sapphire-4-7-iphone-6-display-put-through-its-paces-with-knife-and-keys-in-new-scratch-test-video/
Robots
In addition to hiring 100,000 new employees to work on the new Apple iPhone 6, Foxconn is reportedly bringing in 10,000 “Foxbot” robots to join its team. These are Foxconn’s own robot design -- costing the company about $20K to $25K each to make -- which Apple will be the first to try out on the making of its iPhones. Macrumors gives more detail about the robots:
“According to the paper, the assembly robots will be used for less intensive tasks such as tightening screws and positioning exterior components for polishing. Foxconn factory employees will still be responsible for more important tasks such as quality control and general assembly, however the company expects its robots to help greatly with device yield and output.”
Read more about robots making iPhones here:http://www.macrumors.com/2014/07/09/foxconn-robots-supporting-role/
The new iPhone 6 is expected to be announced in September, and will likely come in a 4.7-inch version and a 5.5-inch version. A thinner profile is also likely, along with a possibly improved camera and faster processor. We’re so excited to build the best iPhone 6 case we can, after it’s announced by Apple!
Written by Mary Yajko. She is a copywriter and member of Team Grove originally from upstate New York. She enjoys opened minds, uncontrollable fits of laughter, and large amounts of french fries with ketchup.
