The technological world is about to become decidedly less boxy, according to the manufacturers of Gorilla Glass.
Last month, the company behind the speciality glass used in almost all smartphones, showed off its latest innovation – 3D Gorilla Glass – at CES 2014. The new glass is able to bend as much as 80 degrees without breaking and can be moulded into shapes which were previously impossible. What’s more, Corning Incorporated says it will be ready to ship later this year.
[themecolor]The glass that Steve Jobs put on the map[/themecolor]
Corning invented Gorilla Glass in the 1960s after engineers discovered that they could make an incredibly strong and scratchproof material by dipping glass in hot potassium salt.
But it was not until the late Steve Jobs of Apple called upon Corning to resurrect the technology that Gorilla Glass had any real application. Since then, Gorilla Glass has been on the front of almost every smartphone and tablet in existence.
Some industry watchers are claiming that curved displays are little more than a gimmick. However, a number of applications are already starting to be explored.
[themecolor]Less glare and greater privacy[/themecolor]
Dr. Raymond Soneira, president of DisplayMate Technologies Corporation, points out that curved screens are able help with screen readability due to less ambient light reaching the display.
“It also improves screen privacy because the curvature makes it harder for other people to see the screen,” he writes on displaymate.com.
The New York Times recently reported that Apple is working on the iWatch. The tech giant’s policy is to keep a tight lid on product development, but there is speculation that such a watch may also include a curved display.
The ramifications for technology could extend well beyond smartphones and watches.
“Imagine an in-car display that ripples and wraps itself across your dashboard,” says Suzanne LaBarre, editor of fastcodesign.com.
“In 20 years, you won’t be able to believe that the world of gadgets was once so boxy.”
