You may recall the Galaxy S24 Ultra, released in January, was the first major smartphone to feature Corning’s new “Gorilla Armor” display coating, which greatly improves scratch resistance and takes a big leap forward in reducing glare. At the time, we noted that Apple should incorporate the tech in the iPhone.
Apple might have heard our pleas. According to a Weibo account (via 9to5Mac) that has previously shared accurate future iPhone details, Apple bought the necessary equipment for a new “super-hard [anti-reflective] outer glass” for the iPhone The timing appears to be too late for the iPhone 16, whose parts begin manufacture long in advance of the fall release. Though the report doesn’t mention Corning, it would be surprising for Apple to abandon the company after so many years.
Apple’s long partnership with Corning dates back to the original iPhone and continues with the iPhone 15’s durable Ceramic Shield tech. Corning’s latest advancement looks like a huge leap forward in both scratch resistance and glare reduction. We assumed some version of Gorilla Armor, perhaps using different branding, would appear on iPhones this year, but the latest rumors claim that’s not the case.
If this report and its effect on the Apple supply chain timetable is accurate, we’re going to be stuck with Ceramic Shield, which debuted with the iPhone 12, until the fall of 2025.
