The iPhone 14 will be announced soon, but new data on models to be released in a year or two appears online. According to a new patent, Apple sees ceramics as a possible material for the case of future iPhones and Apple Watches. At the same time, the surface of such cases will be covered with zirconium, which will dull it and increase its strength.

It is assumed that a zirconia coating can be used on the back of the iPhone, which will make it stronger and lighter. It also protects smartphones from scratches, chips when falling, etc. will protect.

Zirconium meets all the requirements, but has a serious drawback – cost. Therefore, the future iPhone and Apple Watch may be even more expensive, and only with the material of the case. It is possible that Cupertino does not use pure zirconium, but adds it to aluminum and steel alloys for the body, which increases their strength.

Note that the earlier Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 and Galaxy S10+ Performance Edition already have ceramic cases, but these are expensive premium smartphones that are released in small batches. It is not yet clear how Apple plans to launch millions of smartphones with such cases. Perhaps only the Pro/Pro Max models will allow them to emphasize their premium status.

It’s also worth noting that the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 come with displays equipped with Ceramic Shield protection, which makes them more resistant to damage. Source