Screen Protection for Smartphones - Corning Gorilla Glass, Huawei Kunlun Glass, and Xiaomi Lonjing Glass.

Smartphone screen protection is essential to prevent scratches and cracks. The main types include:

Tempered Glass: Offers high durability and scratch resistance, ideal for everyday use.

Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU): Absorbs minor impacts and can self-heal from light scratches.

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET): Thin and lightweight, but provides less protection.

Liquid Screen Protectors: Create a nano-coating for basic scratch resistance but lack the robustness of glass protectors.

While modern screens are more durable, using a protector can extend device life and resale value.

While smartphone screen protectors are common and widespread in mobile phone shops, there are hidden screen protector glass in high end smartphones which is installed by the smartphone manufacturer during production. These glasses are known as Corning Gorilla Glass(various), Xiaomi Lonjing Glass and Huawei Kunlun Glass. Initially Huawei and Xiaomi was using Gorilla Glass on their smartphones, but they then started producing their in-house brand glasses to protect their smartphone screens.

Corning Gorilla Glass

Gorilla Glass, developed by Corning, is a chemically strengthened glass used primarily as cover glass for portable electronic devices. Currently in its ninth generation, it is known for its thinness, light weight, and exceptional damage resistance, achieved through a potassium-salt ion-exchange process that enhances surface strength and crack resistance.

First introduced in 2008 with the iPhone, Gorilla Glass has since been integrated into billions of devices globally. 

Gorilla Glass has evolved through several generations, each offering enhanced features:

Gorilla Glass (2007): The original, 1.5 mm thick, with a hardness of 6-6.5 on the Mohs scale.

Gorilla Glass 2 (2012): 20% thinner, improved optical properties, and withstands pressures up to 50 kg.

Gorilla Glass 3 (2013): Up to three times more scratch-resistant, with pressure resistance up to 150 kg.

Gorilla Glass 4 (2014): Better drop resistance while maintaining thinness.

Gorilla Glass 5 (2016): Enhanced drop resistance from greater heights.

Gorilla Glass 6 (2018): Similar scratch resistance as 5 but withstands multiple drops.

Gorilla Glass SR+ (2016): Designed for wearables, focusing on toughness and optical clarity.

Gorilla Glass DX/DX+ (2018): Improved antireflective optics and scratch resistance.

Gorilla Glass Victus (2020): Offers superior scratch and drop resistance.

Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (2022): Further improvements in durability.

Gorilla Armor (2024): Latest iteration with advanced protection features.

Gorilla Glass Victus and Victus 2 offer enhanced durability and scratch resistance compared to previous generations:

Victus can survive drops of up to 2 meters, while Victus 2 can withstand drops of up to 1 meter on concrete surfaces.

Victus is twice as scratch-resistant as Gorilla Glass 6 and four times more resistant than competing glasses. Victus 2 maintains similar scratch resistance to Victus.

Victus 2 has a slightly higher scratch threshold and is marginally denser than Victus, indicating compositional differences between the two.

Victus 2 exhibits improved fracture resistance, with higher "fracture toughness" ratings, making it less prone to cracking upon impact.

The Victus generations demonstrate consistent enhancements in durability over time, with each iteration showing improved resistance to breakage.

Victus allows manufacturers to create thinner and lighter devices without sacrificing durability.

Xiaomi Lonjing Glass

Xiaomi Longjing Glass is a proprietary glass technology developed by Xiaomi to enhance the durability and strength of smartphone displays. It is claimed to be "the strongest protective glass in Xiaomi's history".

Compared to Apple's super porcelain crystalline glass, Longjing Glass has 5% higher strength and 20% better resistance to falls. Xiaomi provided the following dimensional hardness parameters:

Xiaomi Longjing Glass: 860 (HV 0.025)

Kunlun 2nd Generation Glass: 830 (HV 0.025)

Apple Ultra Ceramic Crystal Glass: 814 (HV 0.025)

Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2: 670 (HP 0.025)

The manufacturing process involves adding special powder to quartz sand, heating it to 1600°C and melting for 100 hours, followed by a long-crystal process of about 80 hours. This results in hundreds of millions of nanoscale microcrystals that are firmly interlocked, effectively preventing cracks and increasing hardness.

Longjing Glass will first be used on the Xiaomi 14 Pro smartphone. The display is protected by this glass, which Xiaomi claims is more durable and scratch-resistant than regular glass. The Xiaomi 14 Pro features a 6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a resolution of 1440 x 3200 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+ support.

Huawei Kunlun Glass

Huawei Kunlun Glass is a proprietary toughened glass technology developed by Huawei to enhance the durability of smartphone displays. It is claimed to be 10 times more drop-resistant than conventional glass.

The manufacturing process involves:

Adding special powder to quartz sand

Heating it to 1600°C and melting for 100 hours

Followed by a long-crystal process of about 80 hours

This results in billions of high-strength nanocrystals that are firmly interlocked, effectively preventing cracks and increasing hardness.

Kunlun Glass is the first smartphone glass to receive a five-star review from Switzerland's SGS testing and certification company, indicating its superior impact resistance.

Drop tests have shown Kunlun Glass to be highly durable. The Huawei Mate 50 Pro with Kunlun Glass survived multiple drops onto concrete with only minor scratches, while competing phones like the Galaxy S23 cracked on the first drop.

Kunlun Glass debuted on the Huawei Mate 50 Pro in 2022 and will feature on upcoming Huawei flagships like the P60 series. It demonstrates Huawei's ability to innovate despite US trade restrictions, providing a compelling alternative to Corning's Gorilla Glass.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the advancements in smartphone glass technologies, specifically Huawei Kunlun Glass, Xiaomi Longjing Glass, and Corning Gorilla Glass, showcase a competitive landscape focused on durability and user experience.

Huawei's Kunlun Glass has set a new benchmark with its impressive drop resistance and scratch resilience, outperforming traditional options like Gorilla Glass in various tests. Xiaomi's Longjing Glass also promises enhanced strength, positioning itself as a formidable contender. Meanwhile, Corning's Gorilla Glass remains a well-established choice, known for its reliability and widespread adoption.

As manufacturers innovate, consumers benefit from improved protection, ensuring devices withstand the rigors of daily use while maintaining aesthetic appeal. The ongoing evolution of these technologies suggests a promising future for smartphone durability.