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Apple supplier Corning says new Gorilla Glass 4 twice as shatter-resistant in drop tests (Video)

The GTAT mess may have forced Apple to abandon its presumed plans to replace iPhone Gorilla Glass screens with sapphire, but next year’s iPhone displays could still prove up to twice as shatter-resistant, says glass-maker Corning.

Corning said that studying hundreds of broken phone screens had revealed the unsurprising fact that shattered screens most commonly occurred in a one-meter drop onto a rough surface like concrete or asphalt. Drop tests in these conditions found that Gorilla Glass 4 survived up to 80% of such impacts – twice the record of the Gorilla Glass 3 used in current iPhones.

While there was much scientific testing behind the scenes, the videos the company used to illustrate the improved strength were rather less scientific in nature …

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeH2-kLnCZo]

More below.

The company said that there was no downside to the increased strength, Gorilla Glass 4 retaining the same optical clarity as the previous generation of the toughened glass.

We saw yesterday some of the different failures experienced by GTAT in attempting to make sufficiently large sapphire boules to meet demand from Apple. More than half of the attempts were unsuccessful, each failure costing around $20,000.

While Apple’s plans for next year’s iPhone and iPad screens aren’t yet known, Gorilla Glass 4 seems a strong contender. Other sapphire suppliers are able to meet volume requirements for lens covers and Touch ID buttons, but there is currently insufficient worldwide production capacity to make iPhone and iPad screens practical.

Via The Verge

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcFbLGumwvM]

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_ZnVJr7ocA]

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Comments

  1. flaviosuave - 9 years ago

    “studying hundreds of broken phone screens had revealed the unsurprising fact that shattered screens most commonly occurred in a one-meter drop onto a rough surface like concrete or asphalt.”

    The hell were their drop tests before, feather beds from 6 inches?

  2. thebern23 - 9 years ago

    Thought someone would have noticed by now… “4 twice as shatter-resistant”. Is it 4x or 2x?

    • thebern23 - 9 years ago

      Sorry – I’m an idiot…

      • thebern23 - 9 years ago

        That being said, that title does read poorly.

  3. sircheese69 - 9 years ago

    “Apple supplier” – They supply everyone, not just Apple.

  4. Computer_Whiz123 - 9 years ago

    iPhones keep getting better and better, while samsung devices have too many features (and may I add, no multitasking). How can you use all those features at once without seamless multitasking?

    Point made. Good job for thinkng it through apple!

    • craftersheep - 9 years ago

      Define “multitasking”. Samsung devices can have multiple apps open at the same time. What kind of multitasking do iPhones have?

      • Computer_Whiz123 - 9 years ago

        they can have many apps running in the background, ready to continue where you left off.

        Google, on the other hand have just a list of recent apps that, when clicked, just relaunch the app that it is linking to.

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Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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