Catcher CEO Corroborates Reports of All Glass Design for 2017 iPhone

Allen Horng, Chairman and CEO of Catcher Technology, a key Apple supplier, appears to have corroborated reports that Apple will be switching to an all glass design for the iPhone in 2017.

The rumored design change could affect the Taiwanese metal casing maker, perhaps resulting in a loss of business to China's Biel Crystal Manufactory and Lens Technology, who supply glass screen covers for iPhones.

"As far as I know, only one [iPhone] model will adopt glass casing next year," Horng told reporters after the annual shareholder meeting on Thursday. "I don't think this move will have an impact on Catcher's revenue as glass casing still needs a durable metal frame which requires advanced processing technology and would not be cheaper than the current model."


Horng also said there would not be Apple handsets that featured glass-only casings without metal frames next year.

Apple accounts for about 33% of Catcher's $2.5 billion in revenue. HP and Dell account for 20% and 15%, respectively. The company is now deciding whether or not to supply Chinese smartphone makers to mitigate the risk of Apple's move to all glass casings. Horng says they are in talks with several companies but have yet to accept any orders.

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