Apple to Release Curved Glass Device in 2012?

Apple is reportedly gearing up to release products with a curved touchscreen in the first half of 2012, reports DigiTimes.

Suppliers of the non-Apple camp are working on products with curved cover glass in attempts to gain a competitive edge in the handheld device market dominated by Apple, sources in the glass industry said.

But Apple reportedly also has bought glass polishing equipment for its suppliers in preparation for the production of devices fitted with curved cover glass. Lens Technology, Fuji Crystal, G-Tech are said to be major cover glass suppliers of Apple. While Lens and Fuji focus on iPhones, G-Tech supplies mainly for iPad.

DigiTimes notes that it's unclear whether the curved cover glass will be a short-lived fashion or long-term trend.