The iPhone 6s’ main rival won’t launch until next spring, but the first rumors detailing the Galaxy S7 are already here. A pair of new reports brings more supposed information about the handset’s build quality, suggesting the phone will have “Turtle Glass” protecting the screen and a magnesium-alloy chassis.
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South Korean site kbench says that Samsung filed a trademark request for Turtle Glass, which might be a new type of glass cover that will replace Corning’s Gorilla Glass in future mobile devices. So far, Samsung partnered with Corning on various handsets, but the company might be working on display protection technology of its own. It’s not clear at this time what this rumored Turtle Glass will have to offer.
Meanwhile, a separate report from a second Korean news site, inews24.com, says that Samsung is looking at using a magnesium alloy for the next Galaxy S phone. It’s not clear at this time whether the phone will have front and rear glass panels like the Galaxy S6, or whether Samsung will use metal for the back of the handset.
However, the company is apparently interested in using a magnesium-based alloy to make the phone more durable, while keeping the weight down. Furthermore, magnesium is also expected to help with heat dissipation.
A few days ago, Apple revealed that the iPhone 6s series will be made of even more durable aluminum, which should prevent “bendgate” accidents this year. The company is using 7000 Series aluminum for the phone’s metal shells, which is the same grade metal utilized in the aerospace industry. According to Apple, the composition of the metal is “unique,” making it the strongest alloy ever used in an iPhone.
Unofficial testing of purported iPhone 6s metal shells revealed weeks before the event that Apple may have mixed zinc and magnesium with aluminum.
Furthermore, Apple’s new iPhones also have “the world’s strongest smartphone glass,” the company says. The glass is made using a “dual ion-exchange process” that makes it stronger at a molecular level and the most durable in the smartphone industry.
The following image shows Samsung’s recently discovered trademark applications for Turtle Glass.
