Smartphones with diamond glass displays coming by year end

The high-end version of HTC’s U Ultra smartphone has indeed got many waiting. It would be the world’s first globally available smartphone with a display coated with sapphire crystals, something that would make it less prone to scratches than conventional glass.

But that’s just the beginning of new technologies, as a new company has announced that it can also do the same with diamonds. This technology not only makes them exclusive, but diamond glass also comes with plenty of advantages.

Cnet  interviewed Adam Khan, CEO of Akhan Semiconductor a company that basically grows diamonds for use in electronics. He claims that a screen made of diamond glass will trump the benefits that even sapphire glass can offer. As you may have guessed, however, it will come at a price.

The advantages of using diamond glass seem to be plenty, as outlined in the article. Again, it also comes at a time when smartphone manufacturers are looking for that tiny extra bit of exclusivity that will give them an edge over their competitors.

Since diamond crystals are among the strongest substances on earth. Adding them to Gorilla Glass or even regular glass makes them up to six times stronger and up to 10 times harder than the stuff you get today.

Thanks to its innate hardness, the material also helps resist grime and water. Additionally, the display can also keep the electronics 800 times cooler to touch. This works not just on the screen but even at the semiconductor level.

So should you expect to see a new screen technology used in your new smartphone purchase later during the year? Well, that would depend on who your manufacturer of choice is. Not all smartphones will get these diamond glass displays as the supply of materials is limited and the company wants to give it to one smartphone maker and one wearable device maker in order to keep things exclusive.

As for the price, it is going to be high initially and Akhan Semiconductor plans to make enough diamond glass for 10 to 30 million smartphones, but only once it ramps up production. Till then, the technology will be available to only one lucky smartphone and one wearables manufacturer.