All those hoping to see an Apple iWatch soon might want to check their expectations and settle down. It might be a while before we get our hands on one.
Nearly every rumor regarding the iWatch notes that Apple plans to use a curved screen display for the device, but one of the company's suppliers is suggesting that the technology won't be available for widespread use for another three years.
According to Corning, before any product incorporating the curved screen Willow glass can be released, suppliers need to be able to offer flexible glass displays. At this point, not many companies even know what to do with that.
"People are not accustomed to glass you roll up," James Clappin, president of Corning Glass Technologies to Bloomberg Businessweek said. "The ability of people to take it and use it to make a product is limited."
According to Slashgear, Corning is dedicating "a lot of effort" to teach "very big name" customers how to work with the Willow glass tech. Considering that both Apple and Samsung have purchased Gorilla Glass from Corning and are both rumored to be developing smartwatches, it's possible they are who the supplier is referring to.
Last June, Corning sent out Willow glass samples to a number of phone, tablet, and television manufacturers hoping it would be used in devices this year. Unfortunately, it seems like the wait will be a little longer than expected.
Despite the stated wait time, Corning did say that Willow glass would be used in some products this year; they're just not the ones the average techie wants to hear about. Solar panels might take advantage of the glass as a flexible barrier, while touch screen devices might use it as a film placed behind the display screen.
As for the iWatch, it's possible that Corning's efforts to teach "big name" companies means Apple will figure out how to work the technology efficiently enough for an earlier reveal, but at this point we might just have to wait and see.
