A glass manufacturer based in the USA is the company behind Gorilla Glass, the shatter-resistant glass used to protect the screens used in basically all the most popular smartphones. Today, the European Commission Corning for anticompetitive practices, alleging that the glassmaker prevented competition through exclusive supply agreements.
According to a press release, Corning requires cellphone makers to source all or nearly all of their alkaline-AS glass from it, and it also gives those companies incentives when they do so. In addition, these phone manufacturers must notify Corning if they receive competitive offers from other glass manufacturers. They are not allowed to accept these offers unless Corning matches or exceeds the price.
Similarly, Corning has contracts with raw glass processing companies that require them to purchase all or most of their alkaline-AS glass from Corning. They are also not allowed to challenge Corning’s patents.
The accusations reinforce how aggressive Corning has been in defending its dominant position in the smartphone glass display market. The latest Apple and Android devices, e.g usually have Gorilla Glass screens because they are scratch resistant and prevent cracking or breaking. Although the glass is not shatterproof, it is resistant to damage. However, Corning’s market dominance combined with these practices is enough to attract the EU’s attention.
