Apple just dropped a new iPhone 16 ad called “Trust Issues” that shows off the Ceramic Shield, which they say is way better than other smartphone glass protection. Why’s that? Ceramic Shield, made by Apple with Corning (the people who make Gorilla Glass), is a mix of glass and ceramic first used on the iPhone 12 in 2020.
Unlike regular smartphone glass, like Gorilla Glass Victus or Victus 2 in lots of Android phones, Ceramic Shield has tiny nano-ceramic crystals mixed into the glass through a hot crystallization process. These super-small crystals, tinier than light’s wavelength, keep the glass clear while making it much tougher. Apple also uses a dual ion-exchange process to further strengthen the material, making it more resistant to cracks by creating a compressive stress layer.
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Apple’s key claim is that Ceramic Shield offers superior drop protection. For the iPhone 16 series, they say the second-generation Ceramic Shield is 50% tougher than the first version and twice as durable as glass in any other smartphone. Compared to Gorilla Glass Victus 2, a common rival found in flagship Androids like Samsung’s Galaxy S24, Ceramic Shield’s glass-ceramic structure differs from Victus’ strengthened aluminosilicate glass.
Some tests, like those by YouTuber JerryRigEverything, suggest it scratches at level 6 or 7 on the Mohs scale, similar to or slightly better than Gorilla Glass. Sand (silicon dioxide) can still mark it, so Apple’s focus remains on drop protection rather than claiming scratch-proofing.
