Handsets

Corning: Gorilla Glass is Not on the Galaxy Nexus

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Corning has updated everyone via Twitter in regards to claims that the Galaxy Nexus by Samsung would be using their Gorilla Glass product. In the official press release we received just before the Hong Kong unveiling, Samsung didn’t mention anything regarding Corning’s product.

The rumor came from a flyer that listed the device as having it. We’re not sure where the confusion came from but we’ll be reaching out to Samsung for comment. In the meantime, do you think the Galaxy Nexus has any other sort of strong glass to protect it from scratches and light falls? [source, Thanks Jordan!]

Quentyn Kennemer
The "Google Phone" sounded too awesome to pass up, so I bought a G1. The rest is history. And yes, I know my name isn't Wilson.

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240 Comments

  1. MAJOR fail… I use screen protectors anyway though.

    1. This is sad news but neither my Nexus One or Nexus S had Gorilla Glass I after 12 months of use I haven’t seen one scratch. Also check out this Nexus One scratch test, it’s like watching a horror movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfqwKa4bT74

      Also I have never used screen protectors not after seeing that Nexus One video. ^_^

    2. I got my first smartphone 7.5 years ago, and have had 5 others since then. Not a single one with a screen protector or case, and not a single scratch on any of the screens.

    3. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  2. Gorilla Glass, Sugar Glass, Paper Glass, i dont give a rats ass glass im still getiing it.

    1. Seriously! My Nexus S doesn’t have Gorilla glass, and it’s still in perfect condition. You don’t need Gorilla glass if you know how to take care of your phone.

      1. Exactally, it makes me wonder what people are doing with their phones that gorilla glass is so needed or is such a deal breaker. What did u do before it.

        1. First off, I’ve had my Nexus S since the first day they were offered at Best Buy 10/11 months ago. I take care of my Nexus S and it has some scratches. Mainly because I put them in with a set of keys 1 time. Saying the quality isn’t needed when it’s possible is ridiculous. I don’t want to be paranoid about my screen getting scratched and that’s part of my purchasing criteria. However, it isn’t a big enough deal for me to not buy the Galaxy Nexus but I’m still majorly disappointed.

          1. Never said that the quality isn’t needed. The point im trying to make is that we got by before GGlass and this phone will still be kick ass with out. Do i make the mistake of putting my keys in the same pocked as my phone? Yes id be a liar is if i said i didnt. But it shouldnt be that big of a deal. Now if they came out and said oh its a single core chip, not thats a deal break. Different strokes.

            EDIT- Samsung has something on their FB page about this http://www.facebook.com/SamsungMobileUSA/posts/10150320290026786 thx guys @droidlife

          2. I agree, I’m more concerned with a buttery smooth experience that is stock android. I would love to see someone do some tests between the Galaxy Nexus glass and gorilla glass to see how they hold up against each other. I looked and looked on the Nexus S glass and never found any specifics as to it’s quality vs gorilla. I admit I’m very anal about the display because that’s the first impression and I almost replaced my screen just to have that flawless display again.

          3. just put your phone in a seperate pocket from your keys and other stuff

        2. I mean, I don’t think anyone is saying they need it to play roller hockey with their phones.

          Gorilla Glass is just a little reassurance that if your phone takes an ACCIDENTAL spill, it will be okay. Everyone likes reassurance, right? =)

          1. I actually play roller hockey a couple times a week and on occasion, have kept my phone in my pocket so I don’t miss an important call. It has taken 1 good slap and a couple deflections directly but has yet to break. It’s an OG Droid. I hate the phone, but it’s durable as hell.

          2. Same here, OG Droid. However I still like it even though it’s slow like feces through a funnel.
            The screen is really durable. I don’t have any scratches on it and I’ve been using it for two years non stop. Every day I take it with me. I sometimes have to put it in a pocket with keys, with coins, with my other phone. I throw it around through the car, I have it in my buddyseat on the bike, along with my lock. Or in a backpack with my keys and other stuff.
            Yeah I was very careful in the beginning, but after I learned how extremely durable it was I stopped being so overprotective.

            A friend of mine has the same phone and I replaced his digitizer for him (known problem for the Droid) and I gave the glass a beating. I took a hammer to it three times. I tried scratching it with a knife and it didn’t budge. It was after three or four very hard hits with a safety hammer for in your car, to get it to break. I
            ‘m not trying to sell you Gorilla glass, but it’s mighty nice to have on your 600+ dollar gadget.

          3. Chris, I remember you once mentioning “hairline” scratches, and you said that even gorilla glass isn’t immune to them. I’ve got a N1 and the top edge of my glass (offscreen) is littered with those tiny scratches. Is there anywhere to get more information about this?

          4. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

      2. Just buy an Otter box case and throw a sheet of Zagg invisible shield on the display.

        1. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

          1. because some things are shorter than the phone and they can touch the surface of the screen? For being smart enough to think about the curve, I figured you would be able to think of that.

    2. Same here. A Nexus phone on VZW = WIN!

    3. People were complaining when the Nexus S didn’t live up to rumors and it was a good upgrade from my Nexus One so I’m also getting the Galaxy Nexus on day one, I’ll even buy two.

    4. The only reason this is funny because of how people turn non-factors into big issues. An example would be the pentile screen on a few of motorola’s products. For many people it is not a big deal (myself included) while a minority of people turn the issue into an overboard troll fest. This is a non-factor that people who are pissed that their phones have been trolled, along with i*hone trolls will turn this into a big deal. Its Karma.

      1. I’m not trolling, I just have different requirements than you.

  3. Yet another reason for my disappointment. This product is turning out to be one stupid compromise after another.

    1. Same thing happened with the Nexus S last year.

      1. mayb they should have htc make it again..

        1. Why the Nexus One didn’t have Gorilla Glass but the OG Droid did.

    2. Have you ever used a Nexus because disappointment and Nexus don’t go together.

  4. That alone will keep me from buying it. My Original Droid has stayed in pristine condition with no scratches on the gorilla glass. I won’t have a phone without it.

    1. My OG is scratched and nicked to shit and I’d like to believe I take good care of it..

      1. I’ve literally tried to scratch my screen and it won’t scratch so I’m unsure how taking good care of your phone resulted in the screen getting scratched… sharp rocks and keys being rubbed on the screen doesn’t do it so what have you done that does?!

        1. Sand and grit will scratch anything screen-wise.

          1. Ive taken my car keys to the screen to prove its scratch resistance. I know there are alternatives out there, but Gorilla glass is some good quality stuff!

            Wonder what they did use and would like to see a promo video of it

          2. This could give some insight…
            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVxj6gRYwS0

          3. Brass isn’t very hard. As a result keys tend to lose any sharp edges fairly quickly. Using them as a metric of scratch-resistance is setting a very low bar.

        2. stuff like sand on your finger does scratch it though, keys should be fine :)

      2. Sand? That’s the only thing that ever scratched mine.

    2. And no screen protector either right? 15 months with an unprotected Vibrant shows me how high Gorilla Glass quality is.

      1. No screen protector. The outer metal casing has the paint scratched some where I dropped it a few times, but I was obviously talking about no scratches on my screen. I even dropped it on the concrete driveway and it slid face down a few feet. No marks. Anyone who buys a non gorilla glass screen just doesn’t know what they are missing.

        1. Or we can go for more than a few days without dropping our phones and know better than to put them in the same pocket as our keys.

          1. “Or we can go for more than a few days without dropping our phones”

            And then when you DO drop your phone…

          2. Sorry, but I have yet to drop my phone. Hooray for coordination.

          3. lol..on the count to 5…lets all drop our phones.ugh.

        2. i have a SGS2 and have some scratches (1 giant, but not on the screen itself but on a the menubutton), i had an SGS1, also with scratches, i had a milestone also with scratches :)

          All gorilla glass, all scratched on the screen… But most of the scratches are invisable in normal usage, so i really don’t care :)

      2. It must be us Day 1 OG DROID users that got the good glass cause other than a few minor scratches my screen looks fine. I dont treat my phone like a princess either. Gorilla glass is quite nice.

    3. Gorilla Glass scratches. Not easily, but it does. I believe It happened when my Nexus One fell off my night stand. Could have been something else though.

    4. There is a link in the comments above where Samsung says they use another type of fortified glass. GG is just a brand name so I would wait to pass final judgement.

    5. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  5. Did the original Droid Incredible use Gorilla Glass? I’ve had that phone for 18 months and it has held up really, really well. Not a scratch to be seen.

    1. Yes, apparently both of those phones use Gorilla Glass. I have owned an OG Droid for almost 2 years and I had no idea until I looked it up this morning.

      1. OG Droid has it, and mine still has scratches. You can only see it when the screen has all the oil cleaned off.

        Droid Incredible is not listed on Corningwear’s site as having it…

        1. I see the Droid Incredible listed here:

          http://www.corninggorillaglass.com/products-with-gorilla/htc

          Thanks for the link! I guess there’s the DI with the pentile display (original) then the later ones with the LCD, so it could be different.

          1. You’re right. I saw Incredible S and figured it was something else. Forgot to look for DROID. >_<

  6. Who cares?
    I dropped my Nexus S a ton of times, and the screen is perfectly fine.
    While my friends Galaxy S 1 shattered easily, I also know a guy with a broken Galaxy S 2.
    Gorilla glass is useless

    1. I know a guy that knows a guy who once said he thought Gorilla Glass is crap.

      So now Ive adopted the idea that Gorilla Glass = Crap….regardless of the millions of satisfied customers with no cracked screens after multiple drops!

    2. the screen is perfect because it has a curved display so it doesnt touch the surface

  7. This is old news. A Samsung rep posted on their Facebook account and said it used a different type of reinforced glass.

    1. link…….?

      1. Here you go: http://www.facebook.com/SamsungMobileUSA/posts/10150320290026786

        From October 21st, an eternity ago in Internet Time.

        1. Thanks for sharing…

    2. And yet people will still avoid buying it (or at least claim they’ll avoid buying it) simply because of brand name recognition. Sad, huh?

  8. Now THAT is a deal breaker. Gorilla glass is better than any screen protector and it retains the best quality while viewing the screen.

    Now I really have no regrets jumping into a GS2.

    1. Enjoy! You’ll probably get ICS one day.

      1. I certainly will on both counts.

    2. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  9. well…what glass does it use?? this phone is pissing me off…no SD card but…the 16gb will hold me over. now! no gorilla glass? well, is it any other glass maker thats strong as or stronger?? i plan to keep this one for a while being its a nexus phone. o `well, i guess thats why i pay for insurance.

    1. Dragon Glass, but I’m not 100% sure it was vaporware or not, lol.

      1. If it actually has Dragontrail glass, I’d be even happier. Stuff looks nuts.

  10. is Corning the only company that produces gorilla glass?

    1. They are the only company that produces the brand Gorilla Glass, but they’re not the only company producing fortified glass. The iphone doesn’t use gorilla glass either but it’s just as impossible to scratch. My wife’s iphone gets beat to hell but the glass is pristine. I’m not going to call this a deal breaker but I want to see some torture tests.

      1. “The iphone doesn’t use gorilla glass either but it’s just as impossible to scratch.”

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIKsztSG63M

        I’ll take the Gorilla Glass, thanks.

        1. The iPhone has gorilla glass…

          1. Maybe not…

          2. Says who? Source? I’ve never seen anything definitive that said it did, but plenty that says it does not.

            http://www.gottabemobile.com/2010/06/25/ifixit-backtracks-on-iphone-4-gorilla-glass-claim/

    2. Gorilla Glass is a brand, not a type of glass. Corning isn’t the only company that produces reinforced glass, but Gorilla Glass is their brand.

      1. Thank You

  11. Doesn’t change the core of the product. Who’s done compromising? Were you on their design board?

  12. Is it just me or has google n Samsung just fkt up these last two nexus phones….all they appear to be are slightly modified galaxy s phones

    Google needs to give the nexus back to HTC so it can reestablish the nexus standard that the nexus one originally set

    1. Are you joking or what?
      The Nexus One was a piece of shit.

      1. May I ask why the Nexus one is a piece of shit? I own one still that my mother uses. She is a lot more brutal with phones. The phone has had a case and screen protector on it. The case is the seidio barely there type case. After having the Nexus One since the first day I like to look at it. So far there is one tiny scratch on the screen. The body is in pristine condition. The screen still looks great for what tech it is. The phone still runs fantastic with CM7 on it. She has loved it and I still love that phone. So my question again is why is it a piece of shit?

        Edit: She also drops it like 3 times a day. Scares me to death, but is holding up quite nicely.

      2. Are you joking or what?

        The Nexus One was the shit.

    2. For what it’s worth, I’ve owned a Nexus S for about 5 months, and had a Nexus One for about 15 months before that. I’ve never used screen protectors or cases, and I’ve always kept my phone in my pocket. But I never put anything else in the same pocket as my phone.

      My Nexus S still looks pristine after 5 months. My Nexus One had multiple deep, visible scratches in the screen that couldn’t be polished out after less than 3 months. I also had a very unfortunate drop (face down onto an uneven stone surface) that smashed Nexus One’s screen. I got the screen replaced by HTC, and the second screen also developed deep, visible scratches within a few months.

      Also, the S’s plastic back may look plain, but it has held up much better than its predecessor’s aluminum and soft-touch-coated plastic, which developed a few marks from wear just sliding into and out of my pocket.

      In short, the Nexus One certainly looked more premium, but the Nexus S has proven to be much more resilient to wear and scratches. I wouldn’t be concerned about the Galaxy Nexus at all.

    3. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  13. I’ve dropped my Nexus S about a dozen times on all kinds of surfaces. It would seem that along with the plastic casing, the flexibility of materials prevents cracks and dents. This is in contrast to hardware like the iPhone which uses hardened material all over, feels solid, but is also prone to denting.

    Whatever Sammy is currently using seems fine to me.

    1. Same here.. I have a Nexus S and have dropped it a couple times. I’ve even had my screen face down on granite countertops and I have had no scratches whatsoever.

  14. Does the GSII have gorilla glass?

    1. Yes.

  15. I managed to somehow get a very deep scratch on my Atrix 4G, which is gorilla glass coated

  16. I’ve had many Gorilla Glass phones and it’s a great product. However, it’s only a great product and not some sort of strength level. There is absolutely no reason to believe that something else will be less than Gorilla Glass, it may even be better.

    1. You’re kidding me right? Where is Corning’s competition?

      1. Not saying one way or another but just because they don’t market on tv doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Don’t be a victim of advertising companies.

        1. I’m a Victim of proof. 15 months with a naked vibrant and all you can see is micro nicks when held under direct sunlight. Maybe I’m a victim but maybe there’s a reason why Corning advertises their product.

          1. I don’t disagree with that. Gorilla glass has always treated me well. The Galaxy Nexus not having it isn’t a deal breaker for me but I want to see some tests to make sure the glass isn’t cheap or scratch prone.

          2. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface? and put your phone in your pocket alone with nothing else in that pocket so it wont get scratched by keys or anything

          3. Interesting. That argument usually leads to the conclusion that the product-in-question can’t compete on merits alone and must use marketing to overcome that. Hmm.

          4. In this case they advertise their product because they are superior on these phones right now and with a little advertising, they are becoming a HH name.

      2. Like Vyse commented below, a facebook rep already posted on Facebook that they were not using Gorilla galss:
        http://www.facebook.com/SamsungMobileUSA/posts/10150320290026786

        About the competition it is here: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/20/asahi-glass-introduces-dragontail-for-consumer-electronics-puts/

        And surely there are other manufactures that focus on the same kind of product.

        I would not be surprised if it was Samsung’s own tech, they have been working on glass for their camera lenses for a while.

        1. Well Samsung and Corning are in a joint venture for glass. So it would be very strange if it didn’t come from Corning.

    2. If it was better than I would have imagined Google talking about it at the press conference.

      I have loved the Galaxy Nexus since the initial leaks from June, but each passing day I am leaning more towards the RAZR. The design is a lot, and it is a tough phone!
      Day after day more bad news for Nexus, Pentile display, no gorilla glass… whats next? 1 inch thick LTE model -_-
      Only things appealing to me about nexus at this point is 720p display and first ICS phone…

  17. I have had a Nexus One and a Nexus S and really love the whole Nexus vanilla early update experience. Unfortunately my Nexus S has a tiny scratch on the screen and it drives me made so I am leaning towards the Razr instead.

  18. No Gorilla Glass… No microSD card slot…

    The only two things going for this device are the screen and the fact that it’s a Google Reference device.

    Screw that. I’ll wait for something better.

    1. SD card?
      That’s so 2008

      /hipster

    2. Nexus S didn’t have these either. Shouldn’t be a surprise now.

    3. Good luck on that buddy ever since the Nexus One came out the Nexus phones has been the top phones along with the iPhone according to reviews who handle way more phones then you or me. Samsung is using a different form of glass similar to Gorilla Glass. How much pr0n do you need that the 32gb isn’t enough?????

      1. Quit being a faggot, faggot.

        1. Awww is jim-butt, butt hurt?

          I think he is so lets all resort to name calling to show our mental superiority.

    4. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  19. This may have be a deal breaker for me

    1. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  20. What difference does it make if it has a curved screen? It can’t get scratched unless you stab it.

  21. Who cares. My 2 year old phone that doesn’t have gorilla glass doesn’t have a scratch on it.

    1. What phone? What kind of screen protector?

      1. Same for me my old Nexus One that my sister uses now doesn’t have a scratch and I never put a screen protector on it. Also my 10 month old Nexus S still looks brand new.

    2. Bully for you. Obviously no one else needs it. Thank you so much for your anecdotal case example, we can all rest easy now.

  22. To me I could care less. I am sure samsung and google used a glass that will help make it work and not sacrifice much. Everyone cries about everything I am sure google chose what they did for the simple fact that it would make it a great phone. The nexus devices were never cutting edge specs thats not what google was aiming for. Anyone who thought this would change is a fool.

    1. Nexus One was cutting edge good sir.

      1. Not really. It didn’t have anything other devices out didn’t have.

      2. It didn’t have Gorilla Glass like the OG Droid but everything else was pretty good. On paper the Nexus phones don’t sound impressive as we would like but 12 months down the road and they are still among the best or are the fastest Android phones available. Since I assume that the Galaxy Nexus will continue that legacy then I can see it being better then most quad core phones in 2012.

    2. Well, it beats pretty much anything on the market right now, so it is cutting edge in a way.. right?

      1. I guess you could look at it that way. cutting edge to me would be having something no others have. The screen is about the only thing and even that is already matched or one upped with the galaxy note. on Verizon it is cutting edge for sure.

    3. You put a lot of faith in Samsung, a company known for making major screw-ups (slow updates? GPS?), without having any knowledge of what the glass is. I wish I had your optimism, but Samsung’s actions speak louder than their words and there is little precedent for them to be deserving of such trust.

      And people aren’t the bunch of crybabies you make them out to be. Stuff like lack of a MicroSD card slot is inexcusable. It serves critical functions both for storage-expandability (lengthens the useful life of the device) as well as data backup (your data is safe even if the phone craps out). Every phone I’ve had in the last 6 years or so has had one. Just because YOU don’t use one or can’t recognize the value of them doesn’t give you the right to insult the rest of us who can.

      And, by the way:
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCUsPnKD1gk

      1. Actually I use one on my thunderbolt. It’s called the cloud and your data can get corrupt just as easily with an sd card. But I understand you wouldn’t realize that.

        1. The “cloud” is a joke. The “cloud” doesn’t help you when you have no wireless reception. The “cloud” isn’t a substitute for being able to add a 32+GB memory card when we have data plans capped at 2GB. And pulling things over the “cloud” is slow as molasses even on a good day when all the stars are aligned and everything is working, especially compared to a Class 10 SD card.

          Not all of us live our entire lives within rock-throwing distance of a cell-tower and get by with 1MB of data that we need access to.

  23. This is very annoying that they did this AGAIN. The Nexus S screen can scratch quite easily if you aren’t careful. It’s pretty insulting they keep skimping on the device that’s supposed to set an example for others. :(

    1. How did you scratch your Nexus S???

    2. how did you scratch it when it has a curved display? maybe you should keep your phone alone in one pocket that way you dont have to worry about your keys or anything scratching it

  24. I think that Gorilla Glass is not the best choice for such a Big Display. Remember the Dell Streak with the 5″ Display. Has got a lot of issues about that…

  25. Could someone also report about the fact that it has a notification light? That’s more important than gorilla glass. Curved screens & hardware notifications ftw!

    1. it does indeed have a notification light. this was mentioned in a hands-on video i watched when it was unveiled =)

      1. Confirmed. See pic.

    2. Its also really smartly hidden, love it. I havent seen to how much notification it gives (if its just a single color charge/blink light or different colors for different states/notifications).

    3. the notification light is at the center of the bottom of the phone were the software keys used to be

  26. IMO, Gorilla Glass is somewhat over-rated. My SGS’s display managed to get 3 scratches somehow. I never figured out how exactly it happened. No major falls or incidents till now ..

  27. I am also very disappointed in this phone. I have the Nexus S and really love it but the more and more I compare the GS 2 just sounds better.

    1. In what way?
      The Galaxy S 2 has weaker hardware, and isn’t even more durable.
      I can’t think of one things that’s better on the GS2, it’s horrible to hold in the hand too.

      1. MicroSD card, for one. That’s a dealbreaker.

        1. it’s not horrible to hold in the hand, fits rather nicely.

  28. The Nexus S has a great screen, I’m okay with this.

  29. When I read this on Twitter my impressions for this phone were dampened very quickly.

  30. It’s just a brand name people, calm down. It still has reinforced glass.

    1. Because we all know mystery, unnamed generic glass has got to be just as good as a known quantity that’s been put through paces and tests with consumers.

  31. I dropped my Nexus One a few months back and the screen shattered. Thankfully a local repair shop was able to replace the screen. If the Galaxy Nexus doesn’t have some type of reinforced glass then that will certainty give me pause in purchasing it. We’ll see…

    1. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  32. All I know is I have a scratch on the Dinc 2, and never had one on either the OG Dinc, or the OG Droid.

  33. Glass on the Nexus S seems as tough as anything I have seen. Its not glass much less Gorilla Glass because its not flat and machined. Rather this transparent compound appears poured into its form from a molten state. I gather this is Samsung’s proprietary material and when it comes to material sciences they are as good or better than anyone in this world. I got zero scratches on a Nexus S without using screen protectors and this phone I got since last December.

    1. same here, not even a single scratch.

  34. BTW, it’s a small one, but it’s driving me crazy. I may try to replace myself, as simple as the video looks, those connectors are really small.

  35. Ive scratched and broken suppose gorilla glass on two og epics its not invincible

    1. No one is claiming it is. But that which would nick gorilla glass would smash regular glass.

      Everyone treats their phones differently. People who baby their phones will claim Gorilla Glass is unnecessary. People who abuse their phones will claim it’s useless. Meanwhile the rest of us can at least grasp reality: Gorilla Glass isn’t a silver bullet, but it’s FAR, far stronger than regular glass.

      1. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  36. My EVO doesn’t use the brand Gorilla Glass. Never had a single scratch, and it’s been in some pretty rough stuff. Don’t buy into the hype as if nothing else compares.

    1. Actually virtually all modern HTC phones use gorilla glass, its listed on Corning’s website. Pretty much the only major phones not using it are the iphone and the Nexus devices.

  37. I guess this is slightly off topic but I feel this should be out there. Google should have HTC & Samsung make one epic superphone. With Sammy as the hardware provider, HTC sexing up the UI, & Google of course the OS.

    Sammy’s been supplying processors to Apple(manufacturing not design), they should have an idea as to what they need to do to equalize with the iPhone/ iPad.*hint hint*

    Sense is basically the most polished UI I’ve come across on Android & definitely the most user friendly. Maybe a derivation or variant on future phones? Moot point though. Only if it doesn’t bog up the phone or take away huge chunks of RAM. Inwhich case put in more RAM. Otherwise leave it stock.

    Google meanwhile should put some heavy duty firepower into optimizing the OS for multi-core phones. Even now there’re some rumors that ICS on the Galaxy Prime was faintly laggy at the media event. Granted it’s not a fully baked product, but I do hope those issues are resolved when it’s put on sale. It all comes down to the hw/sw integration. Google should actually read these forums & try to understand what people want. ICS is a good step forward, but it’s not just coders & engineers who use Android.

    Regarding the Gorilla Glass, honestly there are no consistent reports regarding its quality. Some folks manage to scratch it, others don’t. Maybe Sammy realized this & changed their supplier. Screen protectors & covers are a must though for any phone, IMHO. We’ll hope for the best I guess.

    1. google phones are stock so that wouldnt work with htc adding their battery killer sense on it.

  38. Doesnt matter. My droid x had scratches within 2 months.

  39. Can someone tell me what I missed by buying the Bionic last month? I am new to the android world.

    1. dont think you’ll miss much since Bionic specs are really up there. the only main difference are integrated touch buttons and NFC chip. And from Moto’s twitter feed, Bionic will get ICS supposely in 6 weeks.

    2. Horrible pentile screen. Everyone’s eyes are different. For mine, it is a no go

  40. It’s my understand the OG Incredible did not have Gorilla Glass. I’ve had mine for 18 months with no protector, and the screen likes brand new.

  41. Sucks that the phone will not have it. Love it on my og droid. Droped it multiple times and the screen still looks as good today as it did when I bought it.

    What other bad news is going to come our way before this phone is released? A locked boot loader… :)

    1. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  42. No Gorilla Glass, No SD Slot = Hello Moto

    1. This regretful comment 30,001. You guys make me love my Nexus more and more when months later you are whining about updates that were promised to you.

    2. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  43. Pretty funny actually, most Gorilla glass devices I have seen have a lot of scratches, while the other tempered glass phones have no problems.
    Overrated, useless, and more expensive, Google are setting an example indeed, showing manufacturers that it’s not necessary.

    1. +1 yet people are so clueless they just say they are pinching pennies boo hoo. Google and samsung pick things that make the phone a good phone and will stand up to wear and tear. Most likely they used something that gives equal protection and may be a little cheaper in cost. People sound like apple fanboys, well its no good because it’s made of plastic. smh

  44. If I recall correctly, my Nexus One doesn’t have Gorilla Glass either, I’ve dropped it 4 or 5 times since april 2010 and the screen is in perfect condition

  45. To everyone saying “I got a scratch in gorilla glass anyways.” If you are able to manage that then you are going to completely destroy the screen of a normal glass phone.

    Ive decided on the RAZR. Motorola really upped the ante with the hardware, software, and awesome accessory support. The phone is so fast I could care less about kernel overclocking this or next year.

    Moto blur is far from bad and it can be rom’d over or covered with a launcher app within minutes. There should never be crying about moto blur because its so damn easy to get around.

    Bloatware is a minor inconvenience. You could put it all into a folder you never need to open.

    ICS guaranteed within 6 weeks? Tolerable. Google buying motorola? Phone support outlook looks good.

    Having the phone IN HAND this week?! Priceless.

    Ive made my decision. DROID RAZR!!

    WHO IS WITH ME?!

    SOLD

    1. Exactly. If I did the key test on a non-GG screen it would come out like shit.

    2. “If you are able to manage that then you are going to completely destroy the screen of a normal glass phone.”

      You do realize the Nexus has “scratch resistant glass” right? Just because it’s not gorilla glass (purely a marketing term) doesn’t mean they used glass from walmart on the phone.

    3. The fact that you had to convince yourself that the Razr is the better decision …

    4. I do love the design of the razr, but motorolas software still sucks.. bogs down memory, little random shit that goes wrong with it.. not only will u have to deal with regular google issues, motorola has a ton of issues with there software.. idk..

      like I said depending on release days, I will decide which to get with the Nexus beingg my number 1. I have until dec5 for my 90 days at costco. lol

      1. If Motorola ever makes a Nexus phone I’ll be all over it. Until then, pass. Buggy software, locked bootloaders and slow updates are not really my thing.

        1. Motorola has been the best about releasing updates AFAIK

    5. No, I made it with a pristine Hero but managed to get a long, deep scratch about a half inch in lengthwise on the Evo and I dont know how. It looks like someone actually did take a key to it but I dont carry it with a key ever (it gets a pocket all to itself) so I honestly dont know how it happened.

      And I abused the Hero late in its life because I hated the thing (it didnt have enough memory for anything beyond 1.6) but baby the Evo because I love it.

      So it might be better but things happen. I am not going to sweat it. Ive had touch screen smartphones since before the iphone (yeah, they did exist then) and not used screen protectors and managed to fare well enough.

    6. Ice Cream Sandwich isn’t guaranteed in 6 weeks. They’re going to announce the time line for the update in 6 weeks. Moto release an update in 6 weeks? Get real. Guess you misunderstood.

    7. ics wont be on the razr within 6 weeks and you dont know when you will get the phone preorders are this week that doesnt mean they will send them out right away. They still never announced a release date.

    8. They never guaranteed ICS in 6 weeks. Just so you know…

    9. “ICS guaranteed within 6 weeks”, only noobs to Android will believe what the OEM’s say because they always say that stuff and never deliver. I have been using Android since day one and there are always people like you who say these things then later the regret it. I must have read thousands upon thousands of similar comments since the first Nexus came out. People were mad because it didn’t have Gorilla Glass and didn’t have free calling like the rumors said it would. Also I know for a fact that you will regret it because even people who have spent months with the Atrix(dual core 2011) and Nexus S(one core from early 2010) always say that the Nexus S is way faster because Motoblur slow down the phone after a few months. The Galaxy Nexus will easily take on the first quad core phones.

      So no I will not be with you.

      Also please don’t use that old “but but the *insert name* is Motorola’s, Samsung’s, Htc’s flagship phone so is has to get updated, wrong!

  46. There’s no way this will beat the iPhone now that this info has leaked!!!!

    1. You should indicate sarcasm where you mean it for not everyone knows the details. Indeed, iPhone does not use Gorilla Glass.

      1. Thank you lilo77. I was about to say the same thing, but not in such a respectful manner.

    2. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  47. This changes the ball game all together now. Dropping is something my phone does often thanks to a 5 year old.

    It looks like Google and/or Samsung found every way possible to save a penny on this device. I would have been willing to pay more for an uber phone. This is nothing more than a tinker toy throw together phone now. The Razr is looking like a champ.

    I may have to start considering the iPhone. 4G LTE is the only advantage this thing has now. I get faster speeds through my network connections. I can live with 3G when I am not on a network.

    What to do now?

    1. I made a huge assumption that this would be straight glass like the iPhone

    2. ha the iphone will break anytime you drop it but good luck with that and having a 5 year old unless you want to put the iphone in the huge bulky otterbox cases.

    3. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  48. I could live with the pentile screen, I’ve been using my vibrant since the day it came out. But no gorilla glass? I have to say that has saved my phone a couple of times and I hesitate to think what I would do without it.

    1. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  49. Rubbish, Samsung screwing Google again I bet Samsungs next ICS phone will have Gorilla Glass.

    1. From what I hear: Not if it’s curved.

    2. You do realize that Google is the one that picks each piece that goes into the Nexus phones right?

    3. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  50. Dragontail glass. Look it up. Like others have said just because it isn’t Gorilla Glass doesn’t mean it can’t be a competitors.

      1. In the wise words of Peacey P. “Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!”

  51. eh not so intrested in this phone anymore lol..

    ill take the vigor lol…or rezound or w,e they call it

    1. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  52. Kind of disappointing. My phones take a beating. Pushing me towards Droid RAZR.

    1. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  53. Nexus looks fugly to begin with. It’s just my opinion but there are plenty of folks with who would buy the phone regardless becuase its 4.0 ICS. Moto RAZR is much sexier looking and kicks rear as far as hardware and innovation goes.

    1. How does it kick the Nexus in hardware and innovation? I don’t mean to start a fight, I’m just asking your opinion. Personally the RAZR is kinda ugly but that’s beauty of opinons! :-)

      The Nexus has a MUCH better screen just to name some better hardware. And innovation… don’t even get me started…

      Both phones have their pros and cons. Pick one and stick with it.

      1. He will pick the RAZR then by the time he gets ICS us Nexus users will be getting Jelly Bean then he will realize his mistake.

    2. The Droid Razr would have been my next phone if it had not been for the Galaxy Nexus announcement. The Razr is very sexy, but with a locked bootloader i feel like i don’t own the device. I can’t explore with it, i can’t try other roms, and i’m stuck with the bloat that comes with Verizon Devices. Even if i didn’t want to explore other roms and such, unlocked means i completely own my device. With the nexus, it might not look as sexy but it has a better screen and nfc, it will also will get new OS versions sooner and doesn’t have verizon bloat software. A friend of mine got the droid x2 and it has all these apps that will never be used like blockbuster and the Verizon gps app (seriously, this is kinda pathetic considering you get Google maps for free at the app store). All this on top of it having a similar components such as cpu at the same under clocked speed makes me thing less of the Droid Razr. I don’t see anything that it has that i want except maybe the case.

  54. I don’t think that the problem is just not having Gorilla Glass. I think the reason everyone is upset here is that this phone was supposed to take Android to a new level – software and hardware. But the more info we get about the phone, the more it seems that Samsung has pinched pennies with it. That was why the iPhone is such a polished piece of technology. Apple did not cheap out on materials, fit and finish, or development on the product.

    1. Have you seen the drop tests and scratch tests? The iPhone doesn’t stand up to abuse like the GSII does. Personally the iPhone is nice to look at, but a phone protector is necessary. Lets hope the Nexus got the same build quality albeit minus the Gorilla Glass.

    2. the only thing i honestly expected out of the GNex was the 720p screen. the reason i want the phone isn’t because of hardware, but software.

    3. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  55. I know that some element of this phone is curved, not sure if its the back or the front or whatever. Does anyone know if the screen is actually curved? I’m just picturing myself with this phone in my back pocket and sitting the wrong way *gasp* and the screen breaking. Since the phone is curved, you’d think it would be more susceptible to that right?

    1. The front screen is curved very slightly, not much. It’s intended to make it easier to hold against your face while adding some unique visual appeal. The rear is not curved. Even then, the curve is to slight and the phone is thick/reinforced enough that you shouldn’t have to worry about breaking it like that.

      1. the curve is there so the screen wont get scratched when dropped or sitting face down

    2. I kinda want to know why you would even have it in your back pocket, sitting on your phone just seems like a bad idea from the get go

  56. Why doesn’t Samsung come out and tell us what “fortified glass” they do use if they use something else. Are they chicken???? Come on. Enough with the vague answers to questions. Juist put it all out there Sammy!

  57. It better has Gorilla Glass or something better. For me, anything else would be a huge failure.
    I don’t want to end up like all the iPhonies and carrying around a shattered phone. Sorry, that’s not what I expect from a high-end Android device. And no, I’m not going to ruin it with an ugly case or anything wrapped around malfunctiong the touchscreen half the time.

    I’ll keep hopes up, that Samsung has something similar or better to Gorilla Glass… which might end up in another lawsuit *sigh*

    1. the iphone shatters because it is metal and glass which doesnt give compared to the plastic and glass combo on samsung phones.

    2. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  58. WOW this phone better be $399 off contract MAX. No SD card, No Gorilla glass, 1.3mp instead of 2.0mp, 5mp back camera Instead of 8mp, Same old GPU(yeah i know its clocked higher), 1.2 GHz which is old news by now(wheres the New)….Don’t get me wrong I still think it looks beautiful but it better be priced accordingly, 399 for 16gb and 499 for 32gb off contract.

    1. yeah keep dreaming if you think that will happen. MP dont make it better. Do a little research before hand.

    2. Wow you must be new to Android to think that all that will stop the Galaxy Nexus from being the best Android phone for the next 12 months.

    3. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  59. Galaxy Nexus:
    No Gorilla Glass
    5mp camera
    No SD slot
    Last gen GPU

    Such an underwhelming product. For the first time, Apple has better specs than Google.

    I’m keeping my Epic 4 until Tegra 3 phones start coming out.

    1. 5 MP camera = doesn’t matter? Agree on the rest though, probably going to end up with it anyways.

    2. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  60. give me tmobile. I don’t care about the glass.

  61. I get its a bummer about the gorilla glass but I also was amazed watching that dragontrail glass vid so mostly I just wanna know what glass it does have

    1. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  62. I’ll probably just slap a Zagg shield on my Galaxy Nexus when I get it. That’s what’s on my Droid.

    This may be a stupid question but does the original Droid have Gorilla Glass?

    1. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  63. Next thing we will hear is the nexus has a 2 hour battery life with light music listening.
    All seriousness, wouldn’t you think Google would want their flagship phone to be a monster…unapproachable? The first Nexus was nice, but lets face it – you paid to be a focus group for google. The 2nd was good. This is a good phone, but w/o SD slots, a pentil display, and what could be underwhelming build quality, it is not looking good. I just hope to hell it has good quality speakers…I’m still coaxing life out of my OG droid.

  64. Yes, the original droid does have gorilla glass.

  65. Gorilla Glass my ass !!!! -> my captivate screen scratched like grass. Put on some screen protector .

    1. it has a curved display so why does it matter if the screen cant touch the surface?

  66. OBVIOUSLY THAT’S WHY IT HAS THE CONTOURED DISPLAY. THAT’S WHY THERE’S NO REASON TO WORRY ABOUT THE SCREEN GETTING SCRATCHED IF YOU DROPPED IT IF THE DISPLAY DOESN’T TOUCH THE SURFACE.

  67. For the price they’re charging, it should have KING KONG Glass!

    1. Well it should end up being around $529 off contract we all know how bad the iPhone breaks and that phone is like $650 to $850 off contract.

      Edit: If that is you in that picture then all I got to say is, DAMN.

  68. Gorilla Glass was trademarked in 2008 for Corning’s alkali aluminosilicate glass, their patent for such glass ran out some 20 years ago, anyone can make as much alkali aluminosilicate glass as they want without having to pay Corning for a name, Apple uses alkali aluminosilicate glass in the iPhone not Gorilla Glass. Using a non-name version isn’t what makes them fail drop tests, since alkali aluminosilicate glass isn’t shatterproof by whatever you call it but due to the design of the phone itself, alkali aluminosilicate glass is just more scratch resistant and a bit more bendable.

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