Just a month after introducing Gorilla Glass 5 for smartphones, Corning today has introduced Gorilla Glass SR+, its new cover glass for smartwatches. In 2015, Corning announced “Project Phire,” which was said to be its efforts to create a material for wearables that combines the durability of Gorilla Glass with the scratch-resistance level of sapphire. A year later, we have Gorilla Glass SR+ and it’s ready to hit the market now…
Corning says that Gorilla Glass SR+ is an entirely new glass composite that, like teased, combines the toughness, optical clarity, and touch sensitivity of Gorilla Glass with the “superior scratch resistance approaching that of luxury watch cover materials.”
According to the company, Gorilla Glass SR+ delivers 70 percent better damage resistance than alternative display cover materials. Additionally, Corning’s offering is said to offer improved optical performance that lends itself to longer battery life and improved readability in situations like direct sunlight thanks to 25 percent better surface reflection.
While it remains to be seen which companies will adopt Gorilla Glass SR+, the product is commercially available now and is expected to be on consumer devices from “leading global brands later this year.”
It remains to be seen if Corning’s Gorilla Glass SR+ product is significantly better than current offerings on the market, but the full press release is below.
Breakthrough glass composite delivers an unparalleled combination of toughness, scratch resistance and optical clarity for today’s wearable devices
CORNING, N.Y., August 30, 2016 — Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) today announced its groundbreaking innovation – Corning® Gorilla® Glass SR+. Specifically designed for wearable devices, this new glass composite significantly reduces visible scratches while delivering the toughness, optical clarity and touch sensitivity that make Gorilla Glass famous.
With rigorous daily activity, consumers put their wearable devices to the test, leaving them exposed to damage. To overcome the challenges facing the screens on these devices, Corning scientists developed a new glass composite engineered to better endure the bumps, knocks and scrapes wearables encounter while maintaining the optical clarity and touch sensitivity required for on-the-go connectivity.
In a league of its own
In lab tests, Corning Gorilla Glass SR+ demonstrated superior scratch resistance approaching that of alternative luxury cover materials, while delivering up to 70 percent better damage resistance against impacts and 25 percent better surface reflection than those alternative materials. Such step improvements in optical performance enable longer battery life and improved outdoor readability.
“In early 2015, Corning launched Project Phire with the goal of engineering glass-based solutions with the scratch resistance approaching luxury cover materials, combined with the superior damage resistance of Gorilla Glass,” said Scott Forester, director, innovation products, Corning Gorilla Glass. “Corning Gorilla Glass SR+ delivers a superior combination of properties that is not available in any other material today – it is in a class of its own.”
Leveraging its strengths in glass science and fusion manufacturing, Corning leads the cover glass industry it created nearly 10 years ago. Corning Gorilla Glass has been used on more than 4.5 billion devices worldwide, including more than 1,800 product models across 40 major brands. With the introduction of Corning Gorilla Glass SR+, the one company that has been innovating with glass for 165 years offers manufacturers of wearable devices a clear alternative to luxury cover materials.
Corning Gorilla Glass SR+ is commercially available and is expected to be on product models from leading global brands later this year.
Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995), which are based on current expectations and assumptions about Corning’s financial results and business operations, that involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include: the effect of global political, economic and business conditions; conditions in the financial and credit markets; currency fluctuations; tax rates; product demand and industry capacity; competition; reliance on a concentrated customer base; manufacturing efficiencies; cost reductions; availability of critical components and materials; new product commercialization; pricing fluctuations and changes in the mix of sales between premium and non-premium products; new plant start-up or restructuring costs; possible disruption in commercial activities due to terrorist activity, armed conflict, political or financial instability, natural disasters, adverse weather conditions, or major health concerns; adequacy of insurance; equity company activities; acquisition and divestiture activities; the level of excess or obsolete inventory; the rate of technology change; the ability to enforce patents; product and components performance issues; retention of key personnel; stock price fluctuations; and adverse litigation or regulatory developments. These and other risk factors are detailed in Corning’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the day that they are made, and Corning undertakes no obligation to update them in light of new information or future events.
Digital Media Disclosure
In accordance with guidance provided by the SEC regarding the use of company websites and social media channels to disclose material information, Corning Incorporated (“Corning”) wishes to notify investors, media, and other interested parties that it intends to use its website (http://www.corning.com/worldwide/en/about-us/news-events.html) to publish important information about the company, including information that may be deemed material to investors. The list of websites and social media channels that the company uses may be updated on Corning’s media and website from time to time. Corning encourages investors, media, and other interested parties to review the information Corning may publish through its website and social media channels as described above, in addition to the company’s SEC filings, press releases, conference calls, and webcasts.
About Corning Incorporated
Corning (www.corning.com) is one of the world’s leading innovators in materials science. For more than 160 years, Corning has applied its unparalleled expertise in specialty glass, ceramics, and optical physics to develop products that have created new industries and transformed people’s lives. Corning succeeds through sustained investment in R&D, a unique combination of material and process innovation, and close collaboration with customers to solve tough technology challenges. Corning’s businesses and markets are constantly evolving. Today, Corning’s products enable diverse industries such as consumer electronics, telecommunications, transportation, and life sciences. They include damage-resistant cover glass for smartphones and tablets; precision glass for advanced displays; optical fiber, wireless technologies, and connectivity solutions for high-speed communications networks; trusted products that accelerate drug discovery and manufacturing; and emissions-control products for cars, trucks, and off-road vehicles.
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