Shattered phone screens could soon be a thing of the past, as Gorilla Glass manufacturer Corning claims its next-generation product is its strongest yet.
Gorilla Glass 5 is so tough, it can survive a 5.25ft drop onto a hard surface with an 80 per cent success rate, its maker claims. It’s worth noting that the tests were conducted in a lab, and that the phones were dropped face down, so there’s currently no indication how much protection it will provide when devices happen to land on their corners.
Gorilla Glass 5 tested for drops below shoulder height
Worldwide research conducted by Corning found that in the past year, more than 85 per cent of smartphone owners have dropped their device at least once, with 55 per cent managing to lose their grip three times or more. The majority of these incidents (60 per cent) occur between waist and shoulder height, which is why Corning has focused on making the glass tough enough to survive falls from this elevation.
In a press release, John Bayne, Corning’s vice president and general manager, said: “With many real-world drops occurring from between waist and shoulder height, we knew improving drop performance would be an important and necessary advancement.”
As you might expect, engineering ultra-tough glass for smartphones isn’t easy. For one, the screen has to be clear; it must also be capable of responding to touch. Then there’s 3D glass for curved displays, such as those used on the iPhone 6s and OnePlus 3, which cracks much easier as the curved edges leave the screen more exposed.
We’ll be able to see just how well Gorilla Glass 5 hold up this autumn, as it’s expected to be making an appearance on several new smartphone models coming out later this year, including the Samsung Galaxy S8.
