iPhone 16 Models Get 50% Tougher Ceramic Shield for Display

The iPhone 16, ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max feature a new version of the Ceramic Shield, which is the glass and ceramic hybrid material that protects the iPhone's display.

iphone 16 display
Apple says that its latest-generation Ceramic Shield features its most advanced glass ceramic formulation. It's 50 percent "tougher" than the first-generation ceramic shield, and two times tougher than "glass found in any other smartphone." It's not clear how Apple is defining tougher, but Apple has typically focused more on drop protection than scratch protection when marketing the material.

Apple first started using the Ceramic Shield material in 2020 with the ‌iPhone‌ 12 models, and at the time, Apple said that it was developed in partnership with Corning. Corning makes the Gorilla Glass that Apple competitors like Samsung use, including the new "Gorilla Armor" that Samsung included for the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but the ceramic infused glass appears to be an Apple exclusive.

Once the ‌iPhone 16‌ models launch, we're sure to see a variety of drop and scratch tests that will provide more insight into the benefits of the second-generation Ceramic Shield. Pre-orders for the new devices start this Friday, and an official launch will follow on September 20.

Related Roundups: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

iOS 18 Available Today With These 8 New Features For Your iPhone

Sunday September 15, 2024 10:09 am PDT by
Following over three months of beta testing, iOS 18 will finally be widely released to the public this Monday, September 16. The update should be available to install starting at around 10 a.m. Pacific Time (1 p.m. Eastern Time) in the Settings app under General → Software Update on the iPhone XS and newer. Below, we have highlighted eight key new features included in iOS 18, and Apple...
iOS 18 Public Beta Thumb 1

Here's When iOS 18 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone

Monday September 16, 2024 3:56 am PDT by
It's that time of year again. Apple is about to release iOS 18, which promises to bring a range of new features and improvements to iPhones worldwide. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and the company is expected to release it sometime today – Monday, September 16. Based on past releases, the update is likely to drop at around 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time/1:00 p.m. Eastern...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue Face ID Single Camera Hole

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 17

Friday September 13, 2024 2:40 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different – already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you plan to skip...
apple silicon mac lineup wwdc 2022 feature purple

M4 Macs, New iPad Mini, and iPad 11 Expected at Upcoming Apple Event

Sunday September 15, 2024 5:29 am PDT by
Apple will likely hold another event in October this year to announce new Macs and iPads. If so, it would be the fourth time in the last five years that Apple has held an event in October. Last year, Apple held a virtual event on Monday, October 30 to announce new MacBook Pro and iMac models with the M3 series of chips. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated...
16 pro

iPhone 16 Pro Demand Has Been Lower Than Expected, Analyst Says

Sunday September 15, 2024 3:58 pm PDT by
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said demand for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max has been "lower than expected" since the devices became available to pre-order in the U.S. and dozens of other countries on Friday. Kuo said his data is based on a "supply chain survey" and shipping estimates listed on Apple's online store. Kuo estimated that sales of all four iPhone 16 models reached...
iphone 16 pro apple intelligence

Apple Intelligence Features Expected to Roll Out in This Order Between iOS 18.1 and iOS 18.4

Friday September 13, 2024 1:01 pm PDT by
iOS 18 will be released to the public on Monday, but the first Apple Intelligence features will not be available until iOS 18.1 is released in October. Apple Intelligence features will continue to roll out in iOS 18.2 and beyond, with the expected roadmap outlined below per Apple's website and rumors. Apple Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro model or any iPhone 16 model, and it will...

Top Rated Comments

Belisama Avatar
6 days ago at 03:46 pm
50% tougher... 10% thinner... 18% faster...
I'm so tired of all this BS ?.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Heelpir8 Avatar
6 days ago at 03:56 pm

Can't wait for all the dumb YouTubers who will attempt to demonstrate how tough and durable this new ceramic shield is by destroying iPhone 16's
I think it'll scratch at a level 6 with deeper grooves at a level 7 just like all the rest.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
6 days ago at 03:41 pm
Can't wait for all the dumb YouTubers who will attempt to demonstrate how tough and durable this new ceramic shield is by destroying iPhone 16's
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bhall110 Avatar
6 days ago at 03:40 pm
The days of a case being required are leaving us.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
spaxxedout Avatar
6 days ago at 03:48 pm
I’ll let jerryrigeverything be the judge of that
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nutmac Avatar
6 days ago at 03:49 pm
I hope that 50% improvement includes micro scratch resistance, because my iPhone 15 Pro Max's screen is among the worst I've used in recent history.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)