Digitimes Research: GTAT may supply only 9.0-16.6% of iPhone sapphire screen covers in 2014

Jessie Lin, DIGITIMES Research [Friday 14 March 2014]

US-based GT Advanced Technologies (GTAT) is setting up a factory in Arizona for exclusive supply of sapphire to Apple, with the factory to be able to meet only 9.0-16.6% of demand for sapphire used in screen covers of a new-generation iPhone in 2014, according to Digitimes Research.

The estimation is based on GTAT's forecast sales of US$188-348 million from sapphire material (not including sapphire crystal growing equipment and technology). Typical production cost for a 4-inch sapphire wafer is US$30, Digitimes Research indicated.

Assuming that the new-generation iPhone will have a 5-inch screen, then the forecast sapphire revenues are translated into output of 6.27-11.6 million 5-inch sapphire-made screen covers. As Digitimes Research estimates that Apple will ship 70 million units of the new-generation iPhone in 2014, the output of sapphire screen covers frm GTAT will account for 9.0-16.6% of the iPhone shipments.

Content from this blog post was provided by the Digitimes Research Tracking team, which focuses on shipment data and market trends in the global mobile device supply chain. Digitimes Research provides quarterly tracking services for market sectors such as Global Tablet, China Smartphone, China Smartphone AP, China Touch Panel, Taiwan ICT and Taiwan FPD. Click here for more information about Digitimes Research Tracking services.

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