The first phone with a diamond screen will come in 2019

Shattered phone screens could soon become a problem of the past.
 
A U.S. smartphone components manufacturer is in the process of developing the first-ever screen to be made out of diamonds.
 
Akhan Semiconductor, which is working with a phonemaker to test the glass, said the technology could be released as soon as 2019, according to CNET.
 
The company hasn't said which smartphone company it's working with, but added that it's also working with a screen protector firm and could expand into other devices, such as fitness bands, in the future.  
 
Akhan's diamond glass screens, called the 'Miraj Diamond Glass,' use a 'nanocrystal' pattern that arranges them in a random pattern to help lower the probability of deep cracks forming on a device's screen.
 
It also prevents any damage of the materials underneath the screen, such as any LED panels or sensors.
 
Akhan, which grows nanocrystalline diamonds in its own lab, specializes in diamond-based devices and materials.  
 
The firm partnering with Akhan is currently putting the glass through stress tests to see how strong it is.
 
They're also figuring out how well the diamond glass can respond to touch, especially as it may be paired with other materials, such as Gorilla Glass, as a top layer, CNET noted.
 
'[Diamond screens create] displays and camera systems which are harder, stronger, & thinner while running cooler to the touch, all with the brillance and beauty of real diamond,' according to Akhan's website.
 
Akhan said there are some hurdles it has to overcome before the diamond glass is ready for mass production, however. 
 
Phonemakers have to work out some details around production and manufacturing, such as how much light is reflected from diamond screens.
 
Phone screens that have a higher reflectance are more difficult to read because they give off a glare.
 
The glare can interfere with the user's viewing experience, causing them to increase their device's brightness, which can quickly drain the phone's battery life.
 
Diamond screens could eventually revolutionize phone screen technology, but it's unlikely to come at a cheap price tag.
 
The screens will also probably be restricted to high-end smartphone models for the next few years.       
 
Current smartphone screens are comprised primarily of aluminum, silicone and oxygen.
 
Most devicemakers use Corning's Gorilla Glass, a shatterproof coating or sapphire crystal screen protectors to keep their device's screen from cracking.
 
Apple has had a longstanding relationship with Corning to use its Gorilla Glass technology on each of its iPhone models. 
 
Other smartphone companies have released devices that they claim to be shatterproof, including Samsung's Galaxy S8 Active, as well as the Motorola Moto Z2 Force.
 
And while major advancements have been made in screen technology, many smartphone models are still prone to screen shattering.
 
Experts believe diamonds, which are the most durable natural material on the planet, could solve that issue. 
 
 
 
 

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