One of the standout features of the Galaxy S24 Ultra is its display. Although Samsung didn’t emphasize it much, this is actually the most notable upgrade on this phone. The display uses the new Corning Gorilla Glass, which is said to not only be more durable but also has a coating that significantly reduces screen glare.
It seems like Apple has taken notice of this advantage, as the iPhone 17 could potentially use a similar anti-glare coating for its screen.
According to a report from MacRumors citing a Chinese leaker, Apple has purchased dedicated screen coating equipment from Japan and transferred it to its supply chain in China. This screen coating will be used on future iPhone models, expected to be the iPhone 17 (as it is too late to use for the iPhone 16). As a result, the iPhone 17 lineup is expected to come with a better anti-glare and scratch-resistant screen.
Galaxy S24 Ultra (right) with anti-glare coating compared to Galaxy S22 Ultra
Apple currently uses the “Ceramic Shield” branding for its ceramic-reinforced glass screen produced by Corning. The Ceramic Shield glass on the iPhone 15 lineup was claimed to be “tougher than any smartphone glass”, but that was before Samsung used Corning Gorilla Armor glass on the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Gorilla Armor performs better in drop and scratch tests (although Corning does not disclose the product used as a benchmark). The coating on this glass helps reduce glare by up to 75%, improving readability and minimizing screen glare.
The low glare capability of the Galaxy S24 Ultra makes using the phone under sunlight or other bright light sources not cause annoying screen glare. Once you use the anti-glare screen of the Galaxy S24 Ultra, you will start to notice clear screen glare on other devices. There is no need to tilt your phone or shield it to view content on the Galaxy S24 Ultra screen, as the anti-glare screen combined with high brightness will be enough to satisfy you.
It is still unclear whether Apple will be able to achieve similar results for the iPhone 17. If they can, this will drive the smartphone industry to widely adopt this new display technology.
