Apple's iPhone 17 rumored to boast scratch-resistant, anti-reflective screen
The much-anticipated iPhone 17 is speculated to sport an anti-reflective display, that outperforms the scratch-resistance of Apple's current Ceramic Shield, found on the iPhone 15 models. This intriguing rumor originates from Chinese Weibo informant, Instant Digital, who suggests the exterior glass of the iPhone 17 will incorporate a "super-hard anti-reflective layer" that is "more scratch-resistant than you think." Reportedly, the machinery required for this advanced technology has been transferred to China's supply chain.
Ceramic Shield vs the upcoming anti-reflective display
Apple's Ceramic Shield, a unique glass-ceramic compound co-created by Corning and Apple, made its debut with the iPhone 12 in 2020. Apple touts the shield as being "tougher than any smartphone glass" and asserts it improves drop durability by four times compared to its predecessor, the iPhone 11. However, according to Instant Digital's leak, the forthcoming anti-reflective display on the iPhone 17 is expected to surpass even this Ceramic Shield in terms of scratch resistance.
Corning's contribution to screen technology
Corning, a long-standing supplier for Apple, recently engineered the Gorilla Glass Armor screen panel for Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra. This innovative panel reportedly diminishes reflections by a staggering 75% compared to conventional glass surfaces, and provides over four times more scratch resistance than rival aluminosilicate cover glasses. Whether Apple will incorporate this technology into iPhone 17 remains uncertain. However, Instant Digital's leak about the upcoming model's display characteristics seems to align with this description.
Apple's financial backing of Corning's glass innovations
Apple has significantly invested in Corning, with a cumulative total of $495 million funneled toward bolstering the company's continuous exploration and development of "state-of-the-art glass processes." This financial backing has facilitated the invention of groundbreaking materials like the Ceramic Shield. As Apple's investment in Corning persists, it is conceivable that future iPhones, including the iPhone 17, will showcase advanced display technologies birthed from this collaboration.
