Gorilla Glass 3 in future Apple products?

Consumer electronic glass specialist Corning has unveiled its latest damage resistant creation, fuelling speculation it may be used in the next wave of Apple products.

At this week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the American-based company, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, introduced the Gorilla Glass 3 with Native Damage Resistance.

This latest version of the ‘most widely deployed damage-resistant cover glass for consumer electronic devices’, is based on a new glass composition featuring durability enhancements developed at the ‘atomic structural level’ of the glass, Corning’s senior vice president and general manager, James R. Steiner, said.

Alleged to be Apple’s ‘worst kept secret’ many believe Apple has used Gorilla Glass in several of its product categories, despite it not being listed in Corning’s customer product list. Rumour has it that Apple’s next range of iOS products, including the iPhone 6 and iPad 5, will feature this latest glass innovation.

A statement on the glass manufacturer’s website said: “Due to customer agreements, we cannot identify all devices that feature Gorilla Glass. Your favorite device may include Gorilla Glass, even if you don’t see it listed. Ask your manufacturer or retailer to learn more.”

Although Steiner has not confirmed if Apple is signing up to its latest invention, he said that product qualification and design implementation for Gorilla Glass 3 are underway with Corning’s global customers, who are expected to unveil new devices featuring it in mid-2013.

“While we’ve optimized our glass with the most robust chemical strengthening, we challenged our research teams to develop a new way to make cover glass even less susceptible to scratches and other damage. This new solution significantly improves durability, while maintaining the thinness needed for touch-enabled consumer devices,” Stenier added.

Gorilla Glass is used by more than 33 well-known brands such as Dell, Sony, HTC, Acer, Motorola, Nokia and Samsung. It has been designed into more than 900 product models and is featured on more than one billion devices worldwide.

[Image via looptruth]