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Samsung and Apple smartphones could be less prone to smashes and cracks with the arrival of new super-tough glass.
Corning has unveiled Gorilla Glass 6, which is twice as likely to survive a 3ft (1m) on to rough surfaces, compared with its predecessor.
Introducing #GorillaGlass6. It delivers superior protection from potentially damaging drops that can stop us in our tracks. pic.twitter.com/K2na7CQ8AX
— CorningGorillaGlass (@corninggorilla) July 18, 2018
Most premium smartphones employ Corning’s Gorilla Glass, including the latest iPhones, Samsung’s Galaxy 9 and the Google Pixel range.
Corning, whose Gorilla Glass has been used on six billion devices, said its next-generation glass uses “an entirely new material” which is chemically strengthened and more compressed than before.
Tougher smartphone screens are long overdue, as the average person drops their phone seven times a year.
In lab tests, Gorilla Glass 6 was able to survive 15 drops from an average height of 3ft (1m), whereas other glass materials tested under the same conditions resulted in damage within the first drop.
“With breaks during drops being a probabilistic event, the added compression helps increase, on average, the likelihood of survival through multiple drop events,” said Dr Jaymin Amin, Corning’s vice president of technology and product development.
It is not clear which smartphones will come with Gorilla Glass 6, though the firm said the product is “being evaluated by multiple customers” and expects it to be available “in the next several months”.
Last year, Apple reaffirmed its partnership with Corning, awarding the company 200 million US dollars as part of its Advanced Manufacturing Fund to support its research and development.
