Corning’s Gorilla Glass under EU antitrust investigation

The European Commission has opened a formal investigation into Corning to find whether it has surgery antitrust rules pinch its ascendant Gorilla Glass product. Corning’s Alkali-aluminosilicate solid is utilized to protect astir of the apical phones and tablets, pinch some Samsung and Apple utilizing it extensively crossed their scope of devices. The EU is concerned that Corning has utilized a assortment of exclusivity contracts to exclude rival solid makers from the telephone market.

“It is very frustrating and costly acquisition to break a mobile telephone screen. Therefore, beardown title successful the accumulation of the screen solid utilized to protect specified devices is important to guarantee debased prices and high-quality glass,” says outgoing EU title main Margrethe Vestager. “We are investigating if Corning, a awesome shaper of this typical glass, whitethorn person tried to exclude rival solid producers, thereby depriving consumers from cheaper and much break-resistant glass.”

The Commission’s concerns are centered connected the agreements pinch mobile instrumentality makers and companies that nutrient earthy glass. The EU is looking into exclusive sourcing obligations that person required instrumentality makers to root “all of astir all” of their solid from Corning, enabled rebates for exclusivity deals, and forced instrumentality makers to study connected competitory offers and only judge them if Corning grounded to value match.

If Corning is recovered blameworthy of breaching EU title rules past it could look a fine, but the solid shaper will besides person the opportunity to reside the Commission’s concerns pinch a group of commitments that tin bring the antitrust investigation to an end.

Corning’s Gorilla Glass offers further harm guidance for telephone and tablet displays against scratches, bumps, and drops. It was erstwhile a awesome trading constituent for Apple’s iPhone devices, earlier Corning’s Alkali-aluminosilicate solid became a ascendant characteristic successful modern smartphones.