Corning unveils slimmer, flexible Willow Glass
Apple partner Corning on Monday announced its new Willow Glass, an ultra-slim glass that is also flexible, allowing for companies to make devices with new shapes.
Corning's new Willow Glass was unveiled at the Display Week tradeshow in Boston, Mass., put on by the Society for Information Display. The company said the new material could "revolutionize the shape and form" of next-gen electronic devices.
"Corning Gorilla Glass will enable thin, light and cost-efficient applications including today's slim displays and smart surfaces of the future," the company said. "The thinness, strength, and flexibility of the glass has the potential to enable displays to be 'wrapped' around a device or structure."
The new Willow Glass can withstand temperatures up to 500 degrees Celsius, and will enable manufacturers to pursue high-temperature roll-to-roll processes, similar to how newsprint is made.
Corning's Gorilla Glass will support thinner backplanes and color filters for both OLED and LCD displays. It can be used in smartphones, tablets and notebook computers.
"Corning Willow Glass provides the substrate performance to maintain device quality in a thin and light form factor,? said Dr. Dipak Chowdhury, division vice president and Willow Glass program director. "Currently manufacturing in a sheet-to-sheet process, we expect Corning Willow Glass to eventually allow customers to switch to high-throughput, efficient roll-to-roll processing, a long-awaited industry milestone."
Last month, one report claimed that Apple had shown interest in flexible OLED displays from Samsung. Those kinds of displays, combined with Corning's new Willow Glass, would allow electronics makers to create touchscreen devices with more unique curved surfaces.
Earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show, Corning announced its Gorilla Glass 2, which is just 0.8 millimeters thick and can withstand 121 pounds of pressure. Even though the new Gorilla Glass is up to 20 percent thinner than its predecessor, it maintains the same levels of strength and durability.
Apple doesn't typically publicly name its component suppliers, but for years the company was presumed to be using Corning's Gorilla Glass for products like the iPhone and iPad. But earlier this year, Apple confirmed that Corning is indeed a supplier, and Gorilla Glass built in Kentucky is found on its portable devices.
Corning's new Willow Glass was unveiled at the Display Week tradeshow in Boston, Mass., put on by the Society for Information Display. The company said the new material could "revolutionize the shape and form" of next-gen electronic devices.
"Corning Gorilla Glass will enable thin, light and cost-efficient applications including today's slim displays and smart surfaces of the future," the company said. "The thinness, strength, and flexibility of the glass has the potential to enable displays to be 'wrapped' around a device or structure."
The new Willow Glass can withstand temperatures up to 500 degrees Celsius, and will enable manufacturers to pursue high-temperature roll-to-roll processes, similar to how newsprint is made.
Corning's Gorilla Glass will support thinner backplanes and color filters for both OLED and LCD displays. It can be used in smartphones, tablets and notebook computers.
"Corning Willow Glass provides the substrate performance to maintain device quality in a thin and light form factor,? said Dr. Dipak Chowdhury, division vice president and Willow Glass program director. "Currently manufacturing in a sheet-to-sheet process, we expect Corning Willow Glass to eventually allow customers to switch to high-throughput, efficient roll-to-roll processing, a long-awaited industry milestone."
Last month, one report claimed that Apple had shown interest in flexible OLED displays from Samsung. Those kinds of displays, combined with Corning's new Willow Glass, would allow electronics makers to create touchscreen devices with more unique curved surfaces.
Earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show, Corning announced its Gorilla Glass 2, which is just 0.8 millimeters thick and can withstand 121 pounds of pressure. Even though the new Gorilla Glass is up to 20 percent thinner than its predecessor, it maintains the same levels of strength and durability.
Apple doesn't typically publicly name its component suppliers, but for years the company was presumed to be using Corning's Gorilla Glass for products like the iPhone and iPad. But earlier this year, Apple confirmed that Corning is indeed a supplier, and Gorilla Glass built in Kentucky is found on its portable devices.
Comments
Moore's Law applied to glass?!?
When are we going to see flexible iPhone from Apple? Likely never
They won't be able to make the Home button flexible.
A flexible display allows vendors to make curved surfaces but you still have the guts of the device not being bendable.
On top of that, why would you need an iPhone that bends? I can't think of a case that would give the user an advantage.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
On top of that, why would you need an iPhone that bends? I can't think of a case that would give the user an advantage.
Tactile feedback. So when the screen shows a sack of rice, a soft plastic cup with pudding inside, a breast, or any fabric, you can touch it and have the same thing happen to your phone as would the real object when you interact with it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sandyf
Moore's Law applied to glass?!?
No. It's called the age of Material Science Engineering and EE has nothing to do with it.
I'm not too into the glass being bendable on an iPhone/iPad screen. I like the rigid feel of glass. If it bends as I push my finger on it, it will give it that plasticky feeling. Leave that stuff to Android products please.
This sounds good for a potential Apple headset.
Carroll's Law?
Devices you can strap on your wrist/arm or leg (pilot board). Use it as a facemask for all-round augmented reality display. Get in your car, unwrap it slightly, mount it above your dash and it becomes the viewscreen/customizable HUD in your car. Could lead to a whole new type of device/experience.
I, for one, welcome our new flexible overlords.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jason98
When are we going to see flexible iPhone from Apple? Likely never
They won't be able to make the Home button flexible.
who says they will keep the home button.
that said I agree that a flexible iPhone seems very unlikely. But Apple might still use these parts of the displays are crisp with great color and low battery use and the glass is shatter and scratch proof etc. and of course if the price is right
I don't think they are going to make iPads or iPhones with a curved screen.
A surface you control in a million ways by touch—like iOS and the systems “inspired” by iOS—works best with a perfect flat surface. Just like it’s easier to write on a desk than a jar. If a smartphone tries a curved screen as a gimmick, stay away.
But some special-use devices will have some new styling options thanks to this. It’s certainly impressive even if I don’t see it helping Apple much.
Obviously we wont be seeing any bendable iPhones, but does flexible = break resistant?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
On top of that, why would you need an iPhone that bends? I can't think of a case that would give the user an advantage.
Tactile feedback. So when the screen shows a sack of rice, a soft plastic cup with pudding inside, a breast, or any fabric, you can touch it and have the same thing happen to your phone as would the real object when you interact with it.
So the phone is going to slap you in the face?
I feel like I'm getting slapped in the face every time I use an Android phone.
Quote:
Originally Posted by quinney
So the phone is going to slap you in the face?
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
I feel like I'm getting slapped in the face every time I use an Android phone.
Quote:
Originally Posted by september11th
Obviously we wont be seeing any bendable iPhones, but does flexible = break resistant?
Flexible does indeed imply "break resistant" but odds are you are thinking of the shattering effect which this would not be immune to.
The odds are this screen is actually more likely to break (in the "screen shattering" sense) than the current iPhone screen is. The very fact that they don't mention it's shatter resistance is a sure indicator.
I find it amusing myself that so many many people criticise Apple for using glass screens and bitch about the shattering thing but the minute there is mention of bendy glass, they are all like "I need five devices made of this right now and here's my list." Stupid.
Also amusing that so many people are unaware of and don't even bother to think about the difference between "flexible" and "I can fold it up like origami!" The iPhone screen is already almost as flexible as this glass is for instance and while we have extremely bendable, even rollable OLED screens already, there are none that can actually fold and not leave a mark or have a seam. People just see the "flexible" word and assume all their craziest science eviction dreams are about to come true.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
Tactile feedback. So when the screen shows a sack of rice, a soft plastic cup with pudding inside, a breast, or any fabric, you can touch it and have the same thing happen to your phone as would the real object when you interact with it.
A breast, you say?
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
Apple doesn't typically publicly name its component suppliers, but for years the company was presumed to be using Corning's Gorilla Glass for products like the iPhone and iPad. But earlier this year, Apple confirmed that Corning is indeed a supplier, and Gorilla Glass built in Kentucky is found on its portable devices.
Come on, everyone knows the entire Apple product line and their components are made in China. That's what the media says and you always trust the media.
/s