Ryan Haines / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Samsung introduced Gorilla Armor on the Galaxy S24 Ultra earlier in January.
- For the upcoming Galaxy S25 series, a second-generation Gorilla Armor may feature on the Ultra model.
- However, after widespread reports of issues with screen coatings, we’re a little worried about how they’ll hold up.
With January just a few short days away, it feels like all the Android world is talking about anymore is Samsung’s upcoming launch of its Galaxy S25 smartphones. Just today we’ve looked at everything from news about support for seamless updates to Samsung’s plans for a Galaxy S25 Slim. Now we’re talking specifically about the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and a new rumor about what to expect from its screen protector.
Flash back to last January, and we learned about Samsung and Corning teaming up to exclusively introduce the new Gorilla Armor glass for the S24 Ultra’s screen. The extra tough one Gorilla glass was supposed to keep the expensive phone’s screen looking good, thanks to ion exchange treatment that greatly improves the natural properties of the glass. Eventually other manufacturers began adopting Gorilla Armor themselves, but it was Samsung and the S24 Ultra that really got to show it off.
Today outstanding leaker Ice universe took to X to share the statement that “Galaxy S25 Ultra will exclusively use the more powerful second-generation Corning Gorilla Armor Glass with anti-reflective properties.”
This is the first we’ve heard of a new generation of Gorilla Armor, but based on the existing relationship with Samsung, it would make perfect sense to see Corning share it with the world through yet another Galaxy Ultra phone. We just saw evidence that Samsung might give this year’s model a slightly brighter screen, and upgraded anti-reflective glass could help make that improvement even more pronounced.
But if there’s anything that gives us pause, it’s about sustainability and a last poll we ran suggests that a significant portion of S24 Ultra owners are experiencing unsightly wear and tear on their screens’ coatings. It’s more cosmetic than anything else and shouldn’t affect damage resistance, but it’s exactly the kind of thing we hope a company gets right on a follow-up.
