DROPPING your smartphone mid-selfie may soon be less traumatic.
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Building on the strength of previous versions, Corning claims that devices fitted with Gorilla Glass 5 can survive a fall onto rough surfaces from 1.6 m (5.2 ft), up from the last iteration’s maximum of 1 m (3.3 ft).
Corning makes a pretty good point in the video – Gorilla Glass 4 already does a great job of dealing with drops from waist height, but people use their phones at chest height or higher, whether they’re flicking away at Pokemon Go or taking selfies with outstretched arms.
But now glassmaker Corning is toughening up the glass it provides to dozens of smartphone makers in an upgrade that should protect screens even when dropped from shoulder height.
Corning Gorilla Glass 5 is commercially available and is expected to be on product models from leading global brands later this year. The company says that rigorous lab tests show that Gorilla Glass 5 survives drops onto rough, unforgiving surfaces up to four times better than competitive glass designs.
Corning places glass into a “hot bath of molten salt” that heats up to 752 degrees Fahrenheit.
As well as drops, Corning said Gorilla Glass 5 was twice at good at resisting scratches and other damage compared to what’s now on the market. Because potassium ions are larger, they produce a “layer of compressive stress” deep inside the glass that resists damage.
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“With each successive generation of Corning Gorilla Glass, we have taken cover glass technology to new levels”. Fewer mobile phone carriers and manufacturers are offering subsidies to purchase new phones, which has contributed to more consumers leasing devices or paying full retail price.
