Say So-Long, Smudge: New Matte Glass Fixes Issue with Glass Phones

If you own a phone with a Gorilla Glass back, then you know just how much they love to collect smudges. It’s hard to use your phone for anything without it getting dirty. Well, there’s a new development in the world of smart phones that might make things easier. Glass backs are great for both 5G service and wireless charging. Not to mention, they’re water-resistant since glass isn’t porous. As such, phone makers want to continue using glass for phone backs. As for the smudges? Say hello to the new matte glass from Corning. Yes, matte glass.

Matte Glass

Corning, the company behind the Gorilla Glass found on high-end smartphones, has developed a new inkjet process. This process will allow them to print designs directly onto the glass back of a phone. While these designs don’t eliminate fingerprints, they do render them much less noticeable. They also give the back of the phone a distinctly matte texture. That gives the phone more grip, making it feel less slippery. The matte finish also helps phones stay in place on charging pads instead of sliding off.

This technology is referred to as Vibrant Satin Corning Gorilla Glass, and it’s been seen on laptops. Lenovo and Acer, to name a few, have incorporated the technology into some of their higher-end laptop designs. As of yet, however, there are no plans for any phones that use the technology. As it stands, glass-backed phones are still somewhat new. Many phone makers are seeking to have glass-backing become the norm before they shake things up with Satin Glass.

Customization

Thanks to the nature of the inkjet process, the design on the glass could appear different based on the customer. A customer could, for instance, have a screenshot from their favorite movie or TV show be their phone back. This would largely step on the toes of personalized cases, though. As such, expect early forays with this matte glass to feature solid colors or simple patterns. However, as stated earlier, there are currently no smartphones with plans to implement this Satin Glass technology from Corning.

Feature Image Credit: CNET