Apple has taken the wraps off its new iPhone 12 lineup today, and a standout feature is a new ceramic-hardened display named Ceramic Shield, available on the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. Apple says Ceramic Shield is “tougher than any smartphone glass,” with four times greater resistance to damage from drops.
Apple isn’t the first smartphone manufacturer to incorporate glass-ceramic. The Essential Phone, Xiaomi’s Mi Mix series, and Samsung’s Galaxy S10 Plus all have ceramic panels, but located on the rear of the handset (optional on the Galaxy). By using glass-ceramic for the display itself, though, Apple can claim greater utility for customers. After all, protecting your screen from smashing is more important than protecting your phone’s rear.
According to glass-ceramic manufacturer Corning, which Apple worked with on Ceramic Shield, glass-ceramic is a material that excels because it’s tough, lightweight, and “virtually impervious to heat and electricity.” That all sounds great, but we’ll be curious to see how these displays stand up to real-life rough and tumble. As any smartphone owner knows, manufacturers may talk a big game about tougher screens, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be silently praying to God when you turn over your phone after an unexpected drop test.
Other big features coming to the new iPhone 12 line-up include 5G connectivity, OLED screens, updated processors, and a refreshed industrial design with flattened metal rims (that looks an awful lot like older iPhone 4 handsets).
Developing… we’re adding more to this post, but you can follow along with our Apple iPhone 12 live blog to get the news even faster.
Author: James Vincent
Source: Theverge
