Taiwanese firm Polytron Technologies has developed a prototype for a partially transparent glass smartphone, which is expected to be launched by the end of this year.
Sam Yu, executive at Polytron, told TechHive he was confident the phone would be ready for launch this year.
“It will happen near the end of 2013,” he said. “Trust me.”
Polytron has developed a prototype device built from a light piece of glass containing almost invisible electrical wiring with technology patented four years ago. Though certain components, including the battery, camera and memory card, are still visible, Yu says the rest of the device will be transparent.
“I like things that are novel and look beautiful,” he said. “Current mobile phones are heavier, but with this glass you can make it much lighter.”
Polytron, a subsidiary of U.S.-based Polytronix, focuses on glass technology, and has mainly focused on providing glass for construction projects. The company is now moving towards using its technology for electronics, and will also start selling a partially transparent USB memory stick this year.
It is as yet still unclear how much the device will cost.
