Corning's new Gorilla Glass Victus could let your phone ...

But Corning claims the new Victus glass — there's no Gorilla Glass 7, just Victus — can do both drops and scratch resistance simultaneously, ... Skiptomaincontent clock menu more-arrow no yes Tech Video Amazon Apple Facebook Google Microsoft Samsung Tesla AI Cars Cybersecurity Mobile Policy Privacy Scooters AllTech Reviews Phones Laptops Headphones Cameras Tablets Smartwatches Speakers Drones Accessories BuyingGuides How-tos Deals MorefromVergeReviews Science Video Space NASA SpaceX Health Energy Environment AllScience Creators YouTube Instagram Adobe Kickstarter Tumblr ArtClub Cameras Photography What’sinyourbag? AllCreators Entertainment Film TV Games Fortnite GameofThrones Books Comics Music AllEntertainment Video Features Podcasts Newsletters Store ✕ Filedunder: Mobile Tech CircuitBreaker Corning’snewGorillaGlassVictuscouldletyourphonesurviveasix-footdrop,plusscratchresistance New, 43 comments Samsungwillbethefirsttofeaturethenewglass By SeanHollister@StarFire2258 Jul23,2020,9:30amEDT Sharethisstory SharethisonFacebook SharethisonTwitter Share Allsharingoptions Share Allsharingoptionsfor: Corning’snewGorillaGlassVictuscouldletyourphonesurviveasix-footdrop,plusscratchresistance Linkedin Reddit Pocket Flipboard Email YournextSamsungGalaxyoriPhonemaysoonincludethetoughestgadgetglassCorninghasevercreated.Today,thecompany’sannouncingGorillaGlassVictus—aglassthatcannotonlyresistasix-footdrop,butalsothefirstinsixyearstomeaningfullyimproveyourphone’sabilitytoshrugoffnastyscratches. It’salittle-knownfactthatCorning’sGorillaGlasshasn’tgottenmuchbetteratresistingkeysandcoinssince2014’sGorillaGlass3,andithasarguablygottenslightlyworsesince:ourreportingshowedthatGorillaGlass4actuallyperformedworseinsometests,GorillaGlass5wasinthemiddle,andGorillaGlass6didn’timproveanyfurthersinceCorningwasmorefocusedonmakingyourphonesurviveanastytumbleinstead. ButCorningclaimsthenewVictusglass—there’snoGorillaGlass7,justVictus—candobothdropsandscratchresistancesimultaneously,withnoknowntrade-offs.ThecompanysaysithastwicethescratchresistanceofGorillaGlass6,fourtimestheresistanceofcompetingglass,andarepresentativeVictus-claddummyphonecansurviveuptoa2-meter(6.5-foot)drop. We’vetheoreticallygonefromshoulder-heighttohead-heightsurvivability Thatdropresistanceisnothingtosneezeat;it’safootandaquarterhigherthanCorningquotedforGorillaGlass6(1.6mor5.25feet)orthe1.2m(3.9feet)thecompanyclaimedGorillaGlass5wascapableof.We’vetheoreticallygonefromshoulder-heighttohead-heightsurvivabilityinjustfouryears,whichisgoodnewsifyoueverfeellikeholdingyourphoneuptoyourear.Peoplestilldothat,right? Corningsaysrepeateddropresistancehasalsoimproved,surviving201-meterdropsonaverage.WithGorillaGlass6,thecompanyclaimeditgenerallysurvived15dropsfromthatsameheight. AKnoopscratchtest. Photo:Corning Butyoushouldprobablyknowthatdropandscratchresistancecanvarywildlydependingonhowyoudroporscratchyourphone,andCorningisn’tpretendingithasamagicbulletthere.CorningVPandleadGorillaGlassscientistJayminAmincandidlyadmitsthatVictusisn’tpocket-proofwhenIaskwhetherthebitsofdirt,sand,metal,andothermaterialsthatcangetwedgedinkeysandcoinscouldstillcauseascratch.“Ithinkthosecaveatswouldstillapplyonanyglassmaterial,”saysAmin,“butwhatthisdoesforyouisreducethoseinstancesquitedramatically.” Itmayalsodependonthemanufacturer.AminsaysatleastonemanufacturerrealizedthatVictusissomuchbetterthanGorillaGlass6thatit’soptingtoputathinnerlayerofthenewglassonitsdeviceinsteadofmaximizingdurability.Similarly,oneofCorning’smarketingvideossuggeststhat“Victusissogoodthatifyouuseditonphonesdesignedjustthreeorfouryearsago,you’dbehardpressedtobreaktheminaneverydaydropevent”—butphoneswerethickerthreeyearsago,soyouprobablyshouldn’tcountonit. Corningsaystherewasn’tanyparticularbreakthrough,justalotoftrialanderror TheonethingyouprobablycancountonisthatthenextwaveofpremiumphoneswillincludeCorning’snewglass.SamsungwillbethefirsttointroduceVictuswithaproductcoming“inthenextfewmonths,”andmultipleotherOEMsaredesigningitintoflagshipphones,too.GorillaGlass,ingeneral,hasbeenanindustrystandardforyears,eversincethe“hailMary”playthatmadeitApple’sglassofchoicefortheiPhone,iPad,andbeyond.(Othermanufacturersaretryingtoedgein.) Related Samsung’sGalaxyNote20UltramaytrytobetheXboxPhone Samsung’sGalaxyNote20eventconfirmedforAugust5th Apparently,Victusalsowon’tcostmoretoadopt.WhileCorningisdefinitelyhintingthenewglasswillcomewithapremiumpricetag,thecompanysaysit’llevenoutformanufacturersintheendsincetheimprovedscratchresistancemeansthey’llhavetothrowoutfewerscratchedscreensatthefactory.Itjustseemsthey’renotpassingalongthosesavingsquiteyet. Me,I’mjustalittlesadIboughtaniPhone11Proinsteadofwaitingabitlonger.Iscratchedittheveryfirstweekandhavenoideahow.Ineverputanythingelseinthatpocket. Update,11:00AMET:AddedthatVictussurvivesmorerepeateddrops,onaverage,too. NextUpIn Tech Signupforthe newsletter VergeDeals SubscribetogetthebestVerge-approvedtechdealsoftheweek. Justonemorething! PleaseconfirmyoursubscriptiontoVergeDealsviatheverificationemailwejustsentyou. Email(required) Bysigningup,youagreetoourPrivacyNoticeandEuropeanusersagreetothedatatransferpolicy. Subscribe Loadingcomments... Sharethisstory Twitter Facebook