Apple partner Corning today unveiled its latest product, a more scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass called Gorilla Glass Victus. Corning says companies that use the glass in their devices will see “significant improvement in both drop and scratch performance, for the first time ever in the Gorilla Glass family.”
Corning says its lab tests showed that Gorilla Glass Victus survived drops onto hard, rough surfaces from up to 2 meters. The company says competitive aluminosilicate glasses, from other manufacturers, typically fail when dropped from 0.8 meters. Additionally, the scratch resistance of Gorilla Glass Victus is up to 4x better than competitive aluminosilicate.
Corning shared a video showing off Gorilla Glass Victus surviving a series of tests, including drops of up to two meters. A Knoop Diamond Scratch Test showed the Victus glass was able to withstand an 8 Newton Load, beating out competing products that were tested alongside it. It also withstood more pressure and more drops before succumbing to breakage.
Devices made with Victus glass should be able to better withstand scratches, but they still won’t be indestructible. Corning VP Jaymin Amin admitted to The Verge that bits of dirt, sand, metal, and other materials could still cause a scratch, Amin said that kind of caveat would likely apply to “any glass material.” Gorilla Glass Victus, though is able to “reduce those instances quite dramatically.”
Corning has long been an Apple supply partner and Gorilla Glass is used in numerous devices across the Apple product lineup. Apple in 2017 provided Corning with $200 million for research, development, and new equipment as part of Apple’s Advanced Manufacturing Fund. Apple provided another $250 million in late 2019.
The Verge reports at least one smartphone manufacturer has opted to use Victus to put a thinner layer of the new glass on its devices instead of a thicker layer for maximum durability, but it sis not mention the manufacturer’s name.