It's in the iPhone and iPad -- though Apple doesn't officially acknowledge its existence. Indeed, it's in an increasing number of smartphone screens and tablets; at last count, more than 500 million devices carried it worldwide. You likely look at it all the time without noticing it. What is it? Gorilla Glass, a super-strong, lightweight 21st-century glass made by Pyrex manufacturer Corning. Now the company is preparing to unveil a brand new version of the material, Gorilla Glass 2, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
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"Handset and tablet device manufacturers are clearly driving toward higher functionality from thinner designs," says Corning Specialty Materials General Manager James Steiner in a statement. "Corning?s latest innovation in Gorilla Glass technology is very well positioned to meet these challenges and enable broader touch technology penetration.?
The company is staying tight-lipped about exactly how much lighter or stronger the new glass is; we'll find out more at CES 2012 starting on Monday. But chances are you'll have to work a lot harder to shatter a smartphone screen made with Gorilla Glass 2.
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Gorilla Glass 2 isn't just for small devices. The company is bringing an impressive 82-inch touchscreen to the show, along with a Gorilla Glass-covered video wall, flanked by Gorilla Glass-fabricated speakers.
The lightweight glass technology was long-rumored to be used in the iPhone. This was confirmed last year in Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs, which features the Apple CEO paying a visit to Corning's factory -- and brokering a deal to get the as-yet-untested glass into the first iPhone within six months.
Have you ever shattered a Gorilla Glass smartphone? Would a lighter, thinner screen make you look twice at a new model? Let us know in the comments.
This story originally published on Mashable here.
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