Gorilla Glass 5 to save your phone from high drops?

Chances are good that you’ve owned a mobile device with Corning’s Gorilla Glass on the front.

For the past few years, the company has been manufacturing the protective glass used in scores of smartphones and tablets around the world. In fact, Corning says its glass has been used on over 4.5 billion devices, over 1800 product models and by 40 brands.

Now, the company has released its new generation Gorilla Glass 5, offering improved resistance against drops, it claims.

Corning cited a study which found that over 85% of smartphone owners dropped their device at least once a year, The study also claimed over 60% of users reported dropped their phone between shoulder and waist height.

How much tougher is it?

“In lab tests, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 survives up to 80 percent of the time when dropped face-down from 1.6 metres onto rough surfaces, far outperforming competitive glass designs,” the company wrote in a press statement.

In fact, Corning claims its protective glass survives drops onto rough surfaces “up to four times better” than rival products. Corning’s main competitor in this field is Asahi’s Dragontrail Glass, used by the likes of Alcatel and Sony.

Expect Gorilla Glass 5 to make its way to devices from “leading global brands later this year”.