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Apple supplier Corning faces EU antitrust probe over exclusive supply deals with phone makers

MacDailyNews

Nov 6

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The glass for every generation of iPhone has been made at Corning’s plant in Harrodsburg, Kentucky.

Steve Jobs’s persuasive powers played a crucial role in convincing Corning to develop the ultra-thin, scratch-resistant glass used in the iPhone. Jobs presented a compelling vision of the future of mobile devices, emphasizing the need for a durable and visually stunning display. He convinced Corning to invest in research and development to create a glass that could meet Apple’s stringent requirements. This collaboration led to the development of Gorilla Glass, a revolutionary material that has become synonymous with high-quality smartphone displays.

When Jobs was designing the iPhone, he decided that he wanted its face to be a tough, scratchproof glass, rather than plastic. He met with Corning CEO Wendell Weeks who told him that Corning had developed a chemical exchange process in the 1960s that led to what it dubbed “Gorilla glass.” Jobs replied that he wanted a major shipment of Gorilla glass in six months. Weeks said that Corning was not making the glass and didn’t have that capacity. “Don’t be afraid,” Jobs told Weeks who then tried to explain that confidence would not overcome engineering challenges, but Jobs replied simply, “Yes, you can do it. Get your mind around it. You can do it.” And Corning did it.

Even the iPhone knockoff peddlers followed Apple to Corning for their superior glass.

Now the ever-voracious EU quasi-governmental bureaucratic money vacuum wants a piece of the action, as always.

Reuters:
‎

Corning faces an EU antitrust investigation over exclusive supply deals with mobile phone makers and raw glass processing companies that may exclude rival glass producers from large segments of the market, regulators said on Wednesday.
The European Commission said in a statement that it would assess whether Corning abused its dominant position in the global market for glass used mainly in mobile phones.
“We are investigating if Corning, a major producer of this special glass, may have tried to exclude rival glass producers, thereby depriving consumers from cheaper and more break-resistant glass,” EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager said.
The EU watchdog said Corning may now offer concessions to address its concerns, a move which could help Corning stave off a possible hefty fine without any finding of wrongdoing. Companies risk fines as much as 10% of their global turnover if found to be in breach of EU antitrust rules.

‎
MacDailyNews Take: Typical.

As we wrote on March 4, 2024:

The European Union arose because the Europeans couldn’t compete on their own with the rest of the world, so they each lined up to surrender their national sovereignty, unique cultures, and dignity for an undemocratic, opaque, wasteful, bloated, bureaucratic quasi-governmental blob – and, even with the EU’s thumbs all over the scale, they still can’t compete.

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