Both iPhones and iPads could benefit, and even the iWatch could be a contender

Mar 27, 2014 14:57 GMT  ·  By

A second Apple invention published today by the US Patent and Trademark office reveals the company’s ambitious plans with sapphire crystal, while making new references to amorphous glass materials and oleophobic coatings.

According to Apple’s patent application (cited by Patently Apple), “Electronic devices may include a range of different touch-sensitive input surfaces, for example as incorporated into displays, track pads, keyboards, and combinations thereof. In use, however, oils and other deposits may affect appearance and performance, particularly where information is also displayed on the touch-sensitive surface (e.g., on a touch-sensitive display).”

The Cupertino giant wants to address this problem by using a sheet of sapphire glass covered with an “oleophobic coating,” which repels oils from your fingers and moisture from other areas in the surrounding environment.

The patent wording also drops hints regarding the bezel of future iDevices. According to Patently Apple, this “could be made of plastic, aluminum or an amorphous glass material which translates into being a liquid-metal.” Apple is known to have acquired rights to use Liquidmetal years ago, but it has yet to develop large-scale applications based on the space-age material.

Two products are expected to use sapphire glass, the most likely of which is the next-generation iPhone 6. The second-in-line device to use sapphire is believed to be the rumored iWatch.