Sapphire

At various times along the way I've asserted that even the 1% need Obamacare. In general, the point is that some things are simply too expensive, even for the rich, if only the 1% can afford them. Even if marginal cost is low (a fact virtually ignored by the MBA types), the Suits won't invest in the capacity to build if the market is less than X thousand or Z million. Got to amortize that capacity somehow. Share the cost among the many. Wait!!... Still, the right wing nuts insist.

Well, it appears even Apple recognizes the issue.

The big knock on the use of sapphire in things like mass-market consumer electronics devices has always been cost. With Corning's (GLW) Gorilla Glass controlling most of the smartphone display market, the volumes have enabled the company to drive-down costs to a level that has created significant barriers-to-entry. With this new arrangement, all signals point to Apple wanting to use sapphire ... and a lot of it. Such volume could prove to be the catalyst needed to further get the material down the cost curve and into new mass-market devices.

What?? Apple, betrothed of the 10%, looking to increase volume? You betcha.