Thanks to Kyocera's work on what is being branded
as Sapphire Shield, various other Android OEMs may be able to source synthetic sapphire glass for their phone's screen as well...
Corning announced today that it is working on a new type of glass for screens that is almost as scratch - resistant
as sapphire displays (such as that on the Kyocera Brigadier, pictured above), while retaining the durability of its Gorilla Glass.
It's also covered with Gorilla Glass so it should standup against scratches, though it's not as durable
as the sapphire found on the Apple Watch 3 or Apple Watch 2 with stainless steel and ceramic cases.
A 5.8 - inch curved OLED display would be installed (there's a good chance that this might actually happen, according to the latest rumors), and Apple would use several exquisite materials, such
as sapphire glass and Zirconia ceramic.
He also stated that the sapphire substrate will be useful if Apple wants to incorporate the Touch ID system into the screen,
as sapphire provides better accuracy.
Corning started developing a product under «Project Phire» last year, aiming to come up with a glass substrate that was as durable as Gorilla Glass 4 and as scratch resistant
as sapphire, which is used in traditional luxury watches.
It's a classy addition,
as sapphire has a distinctive reflective sheen to it.
Another option with the same trip cancellation insurance benefits
as the Sapphire Preferred ® is the Ritz - Carlton Rewards card from Chase.
Algal biofuels, such
as Sapphire Energy's much talked about green crude, are still years away from making a significant contribution to the market.
Some companies, such
as Sapphire Energy in San Diego, say algae can be developed to live in wastewater or saltwater so freshwater supplies are not tapped.
Normally I wouldn't advise using this card for travel purchases since there are many other choices such
as the Sapphire Preferred that earn more points and provide better travel protection / insurance.
As long as you also have another Chase card linked to Ultimate Rewards, such
as the Sapphire Preferred or Ink Bold or Ink Plus, you can transfer your Freedom 5X points to Ultimate Rewards partners.
Typically you'll need to speak to a retention specialist at AMEX, not the front line customer service rep.. On the other hand, with Chase's own cards such
as the Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Cards, you'll speak to the front line representative for retention.
There's no reason to cancel the cards that don't charge an annual fee, but Sapphire Preferred does and also shares many of the same benefits
as Sapphire Reserve.
A few questions lingered: 1) Will these points be flexible Ultimate Rewards (UR) points which can be transferred to travel partners if you have a premium UR product such
as the Sapphire Preferred or INK Plus card?
Over the past year, rewards cards such
as Sapphire Reserve and American Express Co.'s Platinum card have become much sought - after among millennials and big spenders.
You can book this flight using Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles that you transfer at a 1:1 ratio from Chase Ultimate Rewards cards, such
as the Sapphire Preferred, Citi ThankYou cards, such as the Citi Prestige, or American Express Membership Rewards cards, such as the Amex Platinum.
Of course, in order to maximize Ultimate Rewards earned on the Freedom card, it must be paired with one of Chase's premium offerings such
as the Sapphire Reserve, Sapphire Preferred, or Ink Preferred Business card so that points can be transferred to Chase's transfer partners.
However, if you are planning to apply for a premium Chase Ultimate Rewards card, such
as Sapphire Preferred or Ink Plus in the near future, you should wait until you're able to use the points for airline transfer, which can offer you a much higher value.
For example, it might be that when someone applies for more than 1 Chase branded card, such
as the Sapphire Preferred, Freedom, or Ink, they stand a higher chance of being denied than if they applied for a mix of a Chase branded card and a co-branded card (Southwest, United, Marriott, etc.).
The 4th night free benefit is arguably the most valuable perk of the Citi Prestige and is how it distinguishes itself from other premium cards, such
as the Sapphire Reserve.
While not as impressive
as the Sapphire Reserve, its annual fee is waived the first year and after that it's only $ 95.
It's a combination of three no - annual fee credit cards along with one premium card known
as the Sapphire Reserve.
This card also comes with a solid lineup of travel insurance and purchase protection benefits, though they are not as generous
as the Sapphire Reserve's.
But, assuming you use the airline and Uber credits in full the out of pocket would be $ 150 — same
as the Sapphire Reserve.
Second, it also earns Ultimate Rewards points, which are credited to the same account balance
as your Sapphire Preferred.
Although in theory you can only use the points for cash back, those who also carry another Ultimate Rewards card, such
as the Sapphire Preferred (or those who have a spouse with this card), can combine the points and transfer them to an airline or hotel loyalty program.
And if you pair this card with one such
as the Sapphire Preferred or Ink Plus then these points become even more valuable as they then become premium Ultimate Reward points that can be transferred to one of their many partners.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred bonus is 50,000 Chase Ultimate Reward points after meeting the same $ 4,000 spending minimum
as the Sapphire Reserve.
Booking a rental car just got cheaper
as the Sapphire Reserve allows you to waive the expensive Collision Damage policy that can substantially raise the price quote.
The Capital One points aren't as valuable
as the Sapphire Preferred UR points, since they have a fixed value.
If you are loyal to a particular airline or hotel, it might be better to consider to a brand - specific credit card (i.e. Chase IHG Rewards Club credit card) that offers perks like anniversary nights and higher reward point payouts
as the Sapphire Preferred loses a lot of its luster after earning the 50,000 bonus points if you don't need the reward point redemption flexibility.
Then there are the Chase branded cards, such
as the Sapphire Preferred, Freedom, Freedom Unlimited, Ink Business, and lastly the Sapphire Reserve..
Although the Chase Sapphire Reserve ℠ shares many of the same features and benefits
as the Sapphire Preferred, Chase allows customers to have both cards.
Uber for example will only give you 45 United miles, where
as the sapphire would be more of a benefit of 105 miles (3x points for taxis).
A few cards, such
as the Sapphire Reserve, will allow you to use that fee toward any travel purchases, including everything from airfare to taxi rides.
But as an entry - level card, it can't do what other premium Chase cards — such
as Sapphire Preferred or Ink Cash — can do; namely, transfer points to airline and hotel partner programs.
If you are searching for a card to use for international travel, you may want to consider adding one of Chase's premium travel cards — such
as the Sapphire Preferred or Reserve — to your wallet.
In some cases, such
as the Sapphire and Freedom cards, products can be partnered to fully use the Ultimate Rewards portal.
One key point to estimating the value of your Ultimate Rewards points: You get a 25 to 50 percent bonus on your Ultimate Rewards points if you own a premium card such
as the Sapphire Preferred or Reserve card and redeem your points for travel through the Ultimate Rewards portal.
Remember, you can also transfer Hyatt points at a 1:1 ratio from Chase Ultimate Rewards if you have cards such
as the Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve.
While Chase markets the Freedom card as a cashback card, you can get more value from your points if you pair it with a premium Ultimate Rewards card, such
as the Sapphire Preferred or Reserve.
You can only do this if you also have a premium Ultimate Rewards card, such
as the Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve or the Ink Plus Business card.
The British Airways Visa doesn't have quite the same points earning potential
as the Sapphire Preferred.
Of course, Amex could have just lowered the annual fee to $ 95, which would have matched similar cards such
as the Sapphire Preferred or Barclay Arrival +.
Keep in mind that just like the Freedom card, Freedom Unlimited must be accompanied but a UR card such
as Sapphire Preferred or Ink Plus so you can transfer cash back to UR points.
However, it left the cards» premium versions, such
as the Sapphire Preferred card, alone.
However, we strongly recommend transferring your points to a premium Ultimate Rewards card such
as the Sapphire Preferred or Reserve, with which you can get a much better value than 1 cent per point for travel redemptions.
Watch
as Sapphire literally transforms from a sickly, scared little dog into a playful, happy puppy.
This is not as flexible
as Sapphire Reserve's $ 300 credit for any travel purchase.