At last year’s CES, we watched as Corning unveiled Gorilla Glass 2, the thinner and supposedly stronger version of its older brother. It was a talking point for all new phones going forward. If your new smartphone didn’t have GG2, you simply weren’t as awesome as the guy sitting next to you who did. Whether or not this product actually helped any of us with phone drops or battles with stone countertops can probably be debated for days, but what we do know, is that Corning is back to give us the next version – already.

Next week, Corning will show off Gorilla Glass 3, which as expected will be three times stronger and more scratch resistant than its predecessor thanks to “new glass composition with durability enhancements.”

That sounds lovely, but I’m already looking forward to Gorilla Glass 4, which will hopefully be flexible and able to outlast a pocket drop. 

Were you disappointed when Samsung mentioned that the Galaxy Nexus did not have Gorilla Glass, but some other “fortified” type of protective display product? You won’t be with the Galaxy SIII as Corning has announced that their new Gorilla Glass 2 will be on the year’s most anticipated Android device. This next-gen Gorilla Glass is 20% thinner than the previous version, yet equally as strong.  

Arguably the coolest video of 2011 was Corning’s “A Day Made of Glass.” It racked up over 17 million views and gave us a look into a future that includes nothing but touchable surfaces, almost Minority Report style. It could be years and years before we see anything close to a world like this, but after watching this new version, you will again wish that it was happening now. Fully touch-capable walls that can share in real time with tablets and are interactive? Yes, please. Changing the theme of your car through a tablet and a swipe? Mmmhmm. How about live augmented reality video using a tablet in something like a state park? Corning believes in it.  

We have been hearing all sorts of good news about Corning’s newest creation: Gorilla Glass 2. Surrounding the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) are ads and posters promoting Gorilla Glass 2 that is 20% thinner and even stronger than the previous version of Gorilla Glass.  Down below we have filmed Corning’s full product demo that happened right at their booth. 

Well, we knew it was coming and here it is. Corning has officially announced the next generation in their widely popular protective glass, Gorilla Glass 2. The newer material allows for the same scratch resistant and damage prevention while reducing the thickness by 20 percent. This means slimmer devices, better colors and greater touch sensitivity on phones. Corning says that their new glass is already in the hands of manufacturers and that we should be seeing implementation of this upgraded glass “during the coming months.” 

Corning, the makers of the popular Gorilla Glass will be in Vegas next week at the Consumer Electronic Show to show off Gorilla Glass 2.  So what can we expect from the company that already has some of the most scratch-resistant glass around?  According to the presser, we could be looking at a thinner design which no one would ever argue with.

“Corning Gorilla Glass has been a tremendous success for Corning, enjoying excellent market acceptance across mobile device industries. Handset and tablet device manufacturers are clearly driving toward higher functionality from thinner designs. Corning’s latest innovation in Gorilla Glass technology is very well positioned to meet these challenges and enable broader touch technology penetration.”

Gorilla Glass is one of those things that people just love, because we know it works and also brings us a sense of security.  You can drop it, bend it, try to scratch it, and it just keeps looking fantastic (for the most part).  It was featured on our dear Motorola “OG” DROID and countless other products we love over the last couple of years.  As manufacturers continue to pump out thinner and thinner handsets, it is good to know that companies such as Corning are meeting the demands of consumers. Here’s hoping Corning blows us away with Gorilla Glass 2.

And you can bet that the DL staff will be at their booth when they show it off.  

When the DROID RAZR was announced last month, Moto CEO Sanjay Jha stood on stage raving about its build quality and the materials used to make it one of the toughest phones on the planet. It has Gorilla Glass, a kevlar back, splash coating and more. Unfortunately, there aren’t many materials that can be used to save a phone from a pocket drop to face on concrete. Might be time to invest in a case if you haven’t already.

On a related, the Galaxy Nexus and its non-branded ”fortified glass” seems to have passed this stair drop test with flying colors. We should take into account that the stairs are covered in carpet and are likely the only reason it survived. Hard wood stairs and the G-Nex would be joining our RAZR friend in the Graveyard of Forgotten Phones.  

Your disappointment in the lack of Gorilla Glass on the Galaxy Nexus was pretty evident back at this post. Even with Samsung’s acknowledgement that they decided to use a different fortified glass with a less prominent name, there were still some skeptics. Maybe the video above will help ease your mind. The UK G-Nex is given a good key rubbing and comes out – unscathed. Not that we were worried that it wouldn’t.

Cheers Murali!