Our reliance on screen protectors may soon come to an end. In an investor meeting, Gorilla Glass maker Corning announced that it is currently developing a sapphire-level scratch resistant glass. Calling it Project Phire, Corning executive James Clappin said the company plans to start selling the material later this year.
For those not familiar with sapphire glass, the material is commonly used on high-end watches, primarily because of its scratch resistance and quality. As it turned out, Gorilla Glass was still prone to scratches. Even the company’s new Gorilla Glass 4 was not immune to scuffs. Project Phire is said to have the damage resistance and drop performance of Gorilla Glass 4, and the superior scratch resistance of sapphire.
The development of Corning’s new project started when one of its biggest clients, Apple, was rumored to go with a sapphire display on the iPhone 6. That didn’t come to pass when the company the Cupertino giant bought for this purpose filed for bankruptcy. The whole event, however, was enough to push Corning towards Project Phire.
Personally, I am excited with this news. I dislike using screen protectors, but it is necessary if you want to avoid scratches. Hopefully, we will start seeing Project Phire on mobile devices soon.
