If you have an iPhone that is no more than three years old, a special QR code is printed on its display. Still, there’s an almost 100 percent chance you’ve never noticed it. Apple developed this system in 2020 to track and limit cover glass defects on the production line. Although their position is constantly changing with iPhones, the fact that the codes are the size of a grain of sand means that the average user without special equipment has no chance of detecting them.
The QR codes in Apple’s display help distinguish the cover glass suppliers, namely Lens Technology and Biel Crystal, for iPhones. At the same time, however, they help to record “waste” during the production of cover glasses, which are made of material supplied by Corning. Apple to install laser and scanning equipment in the premises of the factories of both companies, which makes it possible to add a microscopic QR code to the outer cover glass at the end of the production process, or load it if necessary.
Example of the form and location of the code on the iPhone 13 Pro
On the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, this “invisible” QR code is located above the earpiece speaker, on newer models it’s part of a black frame near the bottom of the display. Apple first burned QR codes into glass with a laser, but this weakened its strength. And it was especially visible during simulated falls. However, the engineers of the American giant came up with a solution that no longer weakens the iPhone’s cover glass layer.
Since the introduction of this “labeling”, Apple has managed to reduce the number of failed cover glasses in their production. Whereas previously three cover glasses out of ten were thrown away, now it is only one. And that, taking into account the number of iPhone units sold, has saved Apple several hundred million dollars over the past three years.
Source: theinformation via 9to5mac
2023-10-01 10:56:48
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