In 2020, Apple began placing microscopic QR codes on iPhone screens that help it control production costs and save “hundreds of millions of dollars.”
The QR code is on the front side of the screen. It cannot be seen with the ordinary eye. Its size is built with a grain of sand, so it can only be viewed using special equipment.
On iPhone 12 and 13, the code is located above the front speaker. On newer models, the code appears as a laser on a black frame at the bottom edge of the screen.
The development technology turned out to be a power supply for Apple. In the first test devices, the code was laser-transformed onto glass. This led to a weakening of its strength. In testing, cracks in the glass almost always appeared where the QR code was placed. Ultimately, Apple engineers were able to find a way to apply the code without changing the properties of the glass.
Using QR codes Apple can track exactly how many glass panels its Chinese suppliers produce. Lens Technology and Biel Crystal, as well as the number of defective panels, are destroyed.
Apple started using QR codes because suppliers were not disclosing the actual quantity of defects, which led to increased production costs. The company spent millions of dollars installing laser and scanning equipment at its Lens Technology and Biel Crystal plants to add discreet QR codes and scan the finished glass at the end of production.
Since providing additional inspections, Apple suppliers have reduced the number of defective panels to 1 in 10 units. Previously, 3 out of 10 glass panels were thrown away. [The Information]
Source: Iphones RU
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