Future iPhones could boast scratch-resistant diamond like coatings

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Future iPhones could boast scratch-resistant diamond like coatings
The iPhone 12 will likely feature Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus. It replaces 2018's Gorilla Glass 6 and can withstand drops up to 2 meters on rough, hard surfaces. It is also two times more scratch-resistant than the Gorilla Glass 6.

Although those are substantial improvements, Victus is still susceptible to scratches, which could weaken it and make it vulnerable to damage. And that's presumably the reason why Apple is reportedly thinking about using a diamond coating to make the iPhone more durable.

According to a November 2018 study by Allstate subsidiary SquareTrade, cracked screens are the most common form of damage, followed by scratched displays and nonworking batteries. 

In 2017, American smartphone users broke more than 50 million displays - nearly two every second - and they spent $3.4 billion on replacements. 

Repairs usually cost $170 but can go as high as $329 for pricier models like the iPhone 11 Pro Max.

iPhone users are apparently six times more likely to damage their handsets than to have them stolen or misplace them. Per Seeking Alpha, most consumers don't repair a damaged phone that still works, and if it stops working, they prefer getting a new one instead of getting it fixed. 

To make its phones more robust, Apple may use diamond-like carbon coatings (DLC) on top of Gorilla Glass in the future. The additional cost is estimated to be pennies per display.

Details are sparse at the moment but at least three major companies have reportedly already created systems to coat Gorilla Glass and other aluminosilicate glasses with diamond-like coatings.

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