Foldable phones are the latest new trend, and they will definitely increase in popularity. This means that there have to be developed more hi-quality parts for such devices.
Working on a next-level display
It was just reported that glass-maker Corning is “working on an ultrathin, bendable glass that’s 0.1 millimeters thick and can bend to a 5-millimeter radius” that may be usable for smartphone displays within two years.
Corning is a producer os Gorilla Glass that’s used in Apple’s iPhone and in phones that are made by other manufacturers including Asus, LG, Samsung, Nokia and more.
Ars Technica reveals that developing Gorilla Glass that can bend or fold like the materials used for the Samsung Galaxy Fold display or other foldable phone concepts could address some flaws that the early designs have.
The folding phones that are made these days are relying on plastic polymers that can scratch very easily, says the online publication.
“The glass used in today’s smartphones is more scratch- and dent-resistant than plastic, thanks in no small part to the processes companies like Corning utilize,” Ars Technica writes.
They say that the plastic that is used for the Galaxy Fold and similar mobile devices will definitely be like a magnet for scratches.
Challenging the laws of physics
Wired spoke with John Bayne who is Corning’s head of Gorilla Glass.
Here’s what he had to say about developing foldable glass for smartphone displays:
“In a glass solution, you’re really challenging the laws of physics, in that to get a very tight bend radius you want to go thinner and thinner. But you also have to be able to survive a drop event and resist damage… The back of the problem we’re trying to break, the technical challenge, is, can you keep those tight 3- to 5-millimeter bend radii and also increase the damage resistance of the glass. That’s the trajectory we’re on.”
It’s also interesting to note that Corning already has one bendable glass product called Willow Glass, but this is not suitable for smartphones.
After finishing Theatrical Journalism at the Faculty of Theatre and Television in Cluj-Napoca, Rada reviewed movies, books, theatre pieces and she also wrote articles from the IT niche as a content editor for software producers. At the moment, she is working with various online advertising firms.
