CES 2012: Gorilla Glass 2 to Allow for Thinner Stronger Phones

[MacRumors]

Corning officially announced their followup to Gorilla Glass today at CES 2012.

Apple has previously used the strengthened glass in their iOS devices. In 2010, David Pogue relayed a claim from a scientist that Apple was the #1 customer for Gorilla Glass and buys "practically all the Gorilla Glass that Corning can make." At least parts of the story were confirmed in Steve Jobs' biography. Corning reportedly shelved the idea for Gorilla Glass back in the 1960s but revived the project at the request of Steve Jobs in 2007. The original iPhone launched with the damage-resistant glass, though there has been some debate about whether it still is being used in their most recent models. Corning, of course, has never acknowledged Apple's usage but says that due to "customer agreements", they can't identify all devices that use their Gorilla Glass.

The new version of Gorilla Glass can be up to 20% thinner than the original and still retain the same strength. Alternatively, manufacturers could continue to use the same thickness, and benefit from greater strength. Manufacturers have already received samples of the new Gorilla Glass so it should start appearing in consumer products in 2012.

Here's a hands on demo at CES of the strength of the new Gorilla Glass:

The additional thinness offered by Gorilla Glass 2 is also said to result in brighter images and better touch responsiveness.

Article Link: CES 2012: Gorilla Glass 2 to Allow for Thinner Stronger Phones

[aaron.thalhamme]

Needed this on my last iPhone... Soon I hope.

[David G.]

Silicon Caaaarrrrbide. ohhh.

[demodave]

Originally Posted by MacRumors

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Corning officially announced their followup to Gorilla Glass today at CES 2012.

Article Link: CES 2012: Gorilla Glass 2 to Allow for Thinner Stronger Phones

I think this is tremendously cool for Corning (both the company and the town in Upstate New York) and for public awareness of glass and materials properties in general. (OK, I admit it, I'm a bit of an engineering geek.)

I already knew the "we found this in our archives" story with respect to Gorilla Glass. It would be fascinating (to me, at least) to know how the story proceeded from there. I can only imagine, "Hey, Bob, remember that tough old glass we made back then? There might be an application for that ..." and then, once it becomes clear that the market wants it, "Hey, you know, we did shelf this back then, but maybe we could make it even better!"

And, sadly, much of this can't happen if there aren't age-old scientists somewhere in the company who can still *remember* that wild-ass experimental result from "back in the day".

[ZipZap]

Would be nice to see this glass used in iPhones. If Apple is a big consumer as the article suggests, where is it all going?

[Mike Oxard]

Too late to save the iPhone 4 I dropped yesterday

[Zuttasoxx]

You do know this glass is in iPhones but does not prevent it getting shattered. Glass still is glass

Look at this movie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-GOwtikSO0

The reason why it shatters is because the corners of the glass is not covered. If the corners receive a blow no matter how strong the glass is. It will shatter.

You can see how strong the glass is of iPhone 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoT6VIxP-Y4

This is why a bumber on iPhone 4(s) (that covers the corners of a glass) will prevent it from damaging the glass that easily. Even tough the front and back is wide open

[marcusj0015]

Apple ADD THIS TO THE NEXT iPad and iPhone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TheRealHershey]

It's 2012. Why are videos like this still shot at the video quality of the iPhone 3G?!?

[Seppentoni]

Yeah yeah. This is all very nice.

But glass is most vulnerable on pressure upright on the edges of the glass not on the flat surface.

So you can do as much promo glass vids as you want. Try to put the glass upright in to your pressure machine mister Marketing man. And we talk again.

[newagemac]

Originally Posted by ZipZap

Would be nice to see this glass used in iPhones. If Apple is a big consumer as the article suggests, where is it all going?

Gorilla Glass has always been in the iPhone. Did you even read the article?

[justperry]

OkOkOkOkOkOkOkOkOkOk

They should have equipment to actually go up to where it breaks, only then it's possible to compare, still good to see they improve.

[loosegee]

Originally Posted by Seppentoni

Yeah yeah. This is all very nice.

But glass is most vulnerable on pressure upright on the edges of the glass not on the flat surface.

So you can do as much promo glass vids as you want. Try to put the glass upright in to your pressure machine mister Marketing man. And we talk again.

And of course the glass your company makes is so much better. Oh wait, that's right. You don't have a glass making company and have no idea how to go about making strong glass.

[justperry]

Originally Posted by TheRealHershey

It's 2012. Why are videos like this still shot at the video quality of the iPhone 3G?!?

It's YouTube Man

[rickdollar]

Although it's impressive, I don't think slowly applying pressure to the glass is the most common real world scenario people are concerned about.
Show an impact test.

[elolaugesen]

If the same thickness creates brighter images then why not reduce power consumption by reducing light and have same great image but longer battery life and less heat..

[littyboy]

Originally Posted by elolaugesen

If the same thickness creates brighter images then why not reduce power consumption by reducing light and have same great image but longer battery life and less heat..

Go to Settings > Brightness and adjust it....

[CFreymarc]

Originally Posted by demodave

I already knew the "we found this in our archives" story with respect to Gorilla Glass. It would be fascinating (to me, at least) to know how the story proceeded from there. I can only imagine, "Hey, Bob, remember that tough old glass we made back then? There might be an application for that ..." and then, once it becomes clear that the market wants it, "Hey, you know, we did shelf this back then, but maybe we could make it even better!"

And, sadly, much of this can't happen if there aren't age-old scientists somewhere in the company who can still *remember* that wild-ass experimental result from "back in the day".

All comes down to how much an old technology can come back to be useful decades later. Keep in mind, old salt techies don't get a summary execution after they are retired or let for "more affordable" younger or outsourced engineers. A lot of these seniors, if they played their cards right, are sitting on a pile of cash and consult all over their industry.

As far as the Gorilla Glass story, the guy that let Steve know about it was a Materials Engineer that has been working in the Valley for decades from consumer to aerospace to semiconductor. These are the guys that walk in, the rank and file engineers wig when they are in the office, they have long talks with the manager in the corner office, shift product development direction since rank and file engineers have a bit to much attention on office politics and TPS reports, pick up a few gems of knowledge from their office lab, collect a huge check and schedule their week so they have golf / motorcycle riding / flying / rock climbing / etc. time mid week.

Their life is good. Try being one if you can. Less stress and more money. Just need to have good social and tech skills.

[slapple]

Originally Posted by TheRealHershey

It's 2012. Why are videos like this still shot at the video quality of the iPhone 3G?!?

Impossible - the iPhone 3G couldn't shoot video!

[Rot'nApple]

Originally Posted by Mike Oxard

Too late to save the iPhone 4 I dropped yesterday

That's why that video is misleading... They never did the "drop" the glass test! Should put sample of glass in iPhone or any smart phone mockup and let the people visiting the demonstrtion have a crack at it! As it were...
/
/
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[advernturousmal]

Originally Posted by Seppentoni

Yeah yeah. This is all very nice.

But glass is most vulnerable on pressure upright on the edges of the glass not on the flat surface.

So you can do as much promo glass vids as you want. Try to put the glass upright in to your pressure machine mister Marketing man. And we talk again.

Twice the strength is twice the strength, no matter whether it's bending or buckling...

[Michaelgtrusa]

Looks good.

[mattwolfmatt]

Originally Posted by Rot'nApple

That's why that video is misleading... They never did the "drop" the glass test!
/
/

Too many variables . . . how high, at what angle does it hit the ground, where on the panel did it hit the ground.

[crs.one]

So some guy makes a random post claiming that the iPhone doesn't use gorilla glass, and this constitutes a "debate?"

[Tarzanman]

Its not just one guy. Everyone who uses gorilla glass in their handsets (like Samsung) makes a point of saying so.

Apple has never claimed to use gorilla glass in the iphone line. Most people have come to the conclusion that apple is not using gorilla glass for iphones because of widespread problems with shattering/cracks/etc with iphones.

People who insist that the iphone does use gorilla glass (such as yourself?) are doing so on supposition.

For all any of us know, Apple is using the gorilla glass in their Macbook Airs or iPads or something.

Only a few people know for sure...and they ain't talking.