World will need to wait 3 years for suitable flexible glass – Corning

Willow glass allows for bendable screens and other interesting applications. Apple however, will have to wait at least 3 years before the new material could be used for its iPhones, according to Corning Inc. Phone manufacturers will have to play a waiting game if they are to make use of the substance in an effective manner, said James Clappin, in an interview on March 3, 2013. James is the president of Corning Glass Technologies.

According to Clappin, the use of the flexible glass material is currently limited. He said that people will also take some time to get accustomed to using the new material in their daily lives. Some major companies like Google are currently trying out various applications for modern glass, such as the Google Glass device, which is advanced eye wear.

James said that his company would take serious efforts to help big customers get familiar with the new substance. He went on to say that there could be some applications that could soon come into play, such as thin films behind touch panels and a barrier for solar panels.

Corning is one of the leaders in glass technology. The company is 161 years old and provided the glass for the light bulb that Thomas Edison experimented with.