Dec 5 2013
Kyocera Corporation announced that the company’s unique “Kyoto Opal” material is being utilized in protective film screen covers for the iPhone 5s/5c/5. The covers, featuring sparkling characteristics similar to natural opal, recently went on sale in Tokyo and will also be available in the U.S. through the maker’s Web site starting December 5 (Power Support International: http://www.powersupportintl.com/iPhone-5-5c-5s-Film-s/1863.htm).
Film covers for iPhone 5s/5c/5 utilizing Kyoto Opal with the display turned off (top) and on (bottom) (Photo: Business Wire)
The film cover is made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin with thinly sliced Kyoto Opal mixed in for decorative properties. The extremely fine grain structure of the Kyoto Opal makes it so that when the display is on, the opal material has a very transparent quality and does not interfere with the screen display or operations. When the screen is off, the opal material shines brilliantly in different colors depending on the angle it is viewed from. Because this characteristic makes it difficult to see the screen from side angles, the cover film can also help ensure user privacy from nearby onlookers.
This year marks the 5th anniversary of “Kyoto Opal,” which is being used in an ever-widening range of products: from traditional Japanese souvenir items to flutes, high-end ukuleles, professional hair cutting scissors, magnetic necklaces which are designed to improve blood circulation, and even in eyewear.
The wide use of Kyoto Opal stems from its unique aesthetic features. Utilizing special staining techniques, Kyocera has been able to realize a variety of rich and subtle hues and tints, which cannot be duplicated with molded resin-based opal products. Furthermore, by surmounting the inherently brittle characteristics of naturally occurring opals, which tend to split and crack, it is possible to cut the material into diverse shapes and sizes.
“iPhone” is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
For more information and photos of Kyoto Opal applications, please visit:
http://global.kyocera.com/news/2013/1201_higr.html