A new rumor today says that Apple has invested billions in a new coating technology for future iPhone displays. This technology would allegedly make future iPhone displays “more scratch-resistant” and add a new anti-reflection layer, but it won’t be ready for the iPhone 16 this year.
iPhone 17: New display rumors
The rumor comes from the account Instant Digital on Weibo, which has previously shared accurate information about upcoming iPhone announcements. Apple has reportedly developed equipment that adds a “super-hard” anti-reflective layer to the iPhone’s display, which is also more scratch-resistant than before.
According to the rumor, the technology was only recently handed over to Apple’s supply chain partners in China. This suggests it won’t be ready in time for the iPhone 16 launch in a few months, with Apple instead targeting a debut with the iPhone 17 series in 2025.
The full rumor (translated from Chinese):
Apple spent billions on coating equipment in Japan, which has been handed over to China’s supply chain, but the iPhone 16 series can’t keep up. The outer glass of the iPhone 17 series will be made into a super-hard [anti-reflective] layer. It can be said that the iPhone 17 series will be more scratch-resistant than you think.
Right now, the iPhone display features what Apple calls Ceramic Shield, which first made its debut with the iPhone 12 in 2020. Ceramic Shield was created by Apple and Corning, who has received funding through Apple’s Advanced Manufacturing Fund.
What today’s new rumor describes sounds similar to Corning’s Gorilla Glass Armor, which debuted earlier this year with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Our friends over at 9to5Google described it as the “first truly big upgrade we’ve seen in a while” to smartphone glass. Gorilla Glass Armor reduces reflection by up to 75% and offers added protection against scratches and other damage.
Given the existing partnership between Apple and Corning, it’s likely that we’ll see some aspects of Gorilla Glass Armor come to the iPhone’s display at some point. But today’s rumor is to be believed, that might not happen until the iPhone 17 next year.
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