Kyocera is in reportedly in late stages of development with sapphire crystal-covered smartphone displays, which could give its well-known rugged phones even more toughness in the future. According to a newly leaked Kyocera testing video on YouTube that's being corroborated by CNET, Kyocera is producing sapphire crystal display coverings in smartphone sizes and testing them up against traditional impact-resistant glass found in current smartphones.

Sapphire crystal, which is well-known as an incredibly high-strength covering for lenses, watches and other precise tools, is dramatically tougher than traditional glass (yes, even Gorilla Glass) but can be tricky and expensive to produce.

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While rumblings have pointed to big players like Apple being the first to bring a mainstream smartphone to market with sapphire crystal covering the display, it looks as though Kyocera may be on the same path. Considering that Kyocera is already known for making rough-and-tumble devices that can stand up to just about anything, one of the only weak points left on its devices is the display. Sapphire crystal may not be in line with its typically budget-friendly phones, but it could prove to be the best shot it has at a truly indestructible device.

Source: CNET; Randy Katz (YouTube)