There will be an estimated demand for 12.44 million mm of 2-inch-equivalent sapphires for optical purposes in 2014, mainly consisting of 54.3% for use in smartphone button covers, 24.1% iWatch covers and 17.4% smartphone camera lens covers, according to Digitimes Research.
The demand will increase in 2015 to 26.2 million mm, with iWatch holding the biggest proportion at 57.2% followed by smartphone button covers at 30.1%.
Sapphire for Apple's iWatch is expected to primarily come from GTAT while 2-inch units for use in optical purposes will come from VHGF technology. Additionally, demand for advanced sapphire furnaces needed to produce iWatch applications is expected to increase from 67 units in 2014 to 333 in 2015, added Digitimes Research.