Apple invests $200 million in Gorilla Glass maker Corning

Shawn Knight

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Corning, makers of the toughened Gorilla Glass used in the production of most modern smartphones, began experimenting with chemically strengthened glass in the 1960s with a product called Chemcor. As the story goes, the project was ultimately shelved as there wasn’t really a market for hardened glass… that is, until Steve Jobs came knocking in 2006.

In Walter Isaacson’s authorized biography of the Apple co-founder, it was revealed that Jobs met with Corning CEO Wendell Weeks while looking for a glass manufacturer for the original iPhone. A deal was hammered out and Gorilla Glass was born.

While more scratch resistant than traditional glass, early iterations of Gorilla Glass weren’t perfect. Corning fine-tuned its formula in subsequent generations but much like the smartphone market as a whole, innovation more or less peaked and there hasn’t been much excitement surrounding the product in recent memory.

Apple is hoping an infusion of cash will change that.

On Friday, the Cupertino-based company allocated $200 million from its recently announced $1 billion Advanced Manufacturing Fund for Corning’s research and development, capital equipment needs and glass processing.

Weeks said in a prepared statement that Corning’s longstanding relationship with Apple has not only led to significant glass innovations that have enabled new capabilities for consumers, it has also helped create nearly 1,000 American jobs and allowed them to continue growing and expanding in the US.

Apple earlier this month committed to invest at least $1 billion with US-based companies to help foster what it calls innovative production and highly skilled jobs that’ll lay the foundation for a new era of tech-driven manufacturing in US.

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Apple doesn't even make the majority of their iPhone components. They are more of an assembler and software company than a hardware company.

Great to hear that investment is happening for skilled jobs.
 
Corning's incredible, 165 years old and still innovating like a start-up. From Gorilla glass, fiber optic, oven-
and dinner ware to space shuttle insulation, Apple, and all companies could learn from this rule-breaking tech leader.
 
Corning's incredible, 165 years old and still innovating like a start-up. From Gorilla glass, fiber optic, oven-
and dinner ware to space shuttle insulation, Apple, and all companies could learn from this rule-breaking tech leader.
Just an FYI, Corning no longer makes oven/dinner ware and they sold that business to another company, World Kitchen. The Pyrex name was part of that sale and World Kitchen changed the formula of Pyrex glass to cheaper materials and it is no longer the temperature change resistant material for which it was known.
 
We can all rely on Apple to be our saviour and sleep a lot easier. They are God to many iSheep after all.
Now let me say I am an android guy, but I must say, anyone that says "iSheep" sounds like a preteen. An adult should be able to understand that not everyone has the same wants and preferences as you. Don't feel too bad though, an apple user who knocks an android user (because he/she prefers it) sounds just as stupid as you just did, however, I don't think you are a preteen judging from your past posts. So I must ask, are you a preteen or an adult who hasn't learned this yet?
 
Corning's incredible, 165 years old and still innovating like a start-up. From Gorilla glass, fiber optic, oven-
and dinner ware to space shuttle insulation, Apple, and all companies could learn from this rule-breaking tech leader.
Just an FYI, Corning no longer makes oven/dinner ware and they sold that business to another company, World Kitchen. The Pyrex name was part of that sale and World Kitchen changed the formula of Pyrex glass to cheaper materials and it is no longer the temperature change resistant material for which it was known.
Makes me wonder why buy something like Pyrex and change the thing it was known for?
 
Corning's incredible, 165 years old and still innovating like a start-up. From Gorilla glass, fiber optic, oven-
and dinner ware to space shuttle insulation, Apple, and all companies could learn from this rule-breaking tech leader.
Just an FYI, Corning no longer makes oven/dinner ware and they sold that business to another company, World Kitchen. The Pyrex name was part of that sale and World Kitchen changed the formula of Pyrex glass to cheaper materials and it is no longer the temperature change resistant material for which it was known.
Good to know.
 
We can all rely on Apple to be our saviour and sleep a lot easier. They are God to many iSheep after all.
Now let me say I am an android guy, but I must say, anyone that says "iSheep" sounds like a preteen. An adult should be able to understand that not everyone has the same wants and preferences as you. Don't feel too bad though, an apple user who knocks an android user (because he/she prefers it) sounds just as stupid as you just did, however, I don't think you are a preteen judging from your past posts. So I must ask, are you a preteen or an adult who hasn't learned this yet?
And those who launch an unprovoked rant at someone for using a fairly colloquial term are to be considered "adult"? You don't even hide this within some contribution to the comments that is slightly on topic.

As long as we can still enjoy corning products on any brand of phone I'm happy with this investment from Apple. Let's hope that they have better luck with this venture than they did with the sapphire glass by GT Advanced Technologies debacle ( https://www.techspot.com/news/58318...les-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy-protection.html )
 
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Corning's incredible, 165 years old and still innovating like a start-up. From Gorilla glass, fiber optic, oven-
and dinner ware to space shuttle insulation, Apple, and all companies could learn from this rule-breaking tech leader.
Just an FYI, Corning no longer makes oven/dinner ware and they sold that business to another company, World Kitchen. The Pyrex name was part of that sale and World Kitchen changed the formula of Pyrex glass to cheaper materials and it is no longer the temperature change resistant material for which it was known.
LOL
 
Now let me say I am an android guy, but I must say, anyone that says "iSheep" sounds like a preteen. An adult should be able to understand that not everyone has the same wants and preferences as you. Don't feel too bad though, an apple user who knocks an android user (because he/she prefers it) sounds just as stupid as you just did, however, I don't think you are a preteen judging from your past posts. So I must ask, are you a preteen or an adult who hasn't learned this yet?
Yes. I'm a retired, already on pension preteen. iSheep... Phandroid? What difference does it make? They're just harmless terms describing a persons gadget preference but I'm sure you already know that. It sounds like you're trying to bait me and if you are, it ain't gonna work.
 
And those who launch an unprovoked rant at someone for using a fairly colloquial term are to be considered "adult". You don't even hide this within some contribution to the comments that is slightly on topic.

As long as we can still enjoy corning products on any brand of phone I'm happy with this investment from Apple. Let's hope that they have better luck with this venture than they did with the sapphire glass by GT Advanced Technologies debacle ( https://www.techspot.com/news/58318...les-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy-protection.html )
Yup.
 
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