The European Commission has opened a formal investigation against Corning to determine whether the company violated antitrust laws with its Gorilla Glass product.
Corning’s alkaline aluminosilicate glass is used to protect most phones and tablets, and both Samsung and Apple use it extensively in their products. The European Union is concerned that Corning has used various monopoly agreements to exclude competitors from the market.
A damaged phone screen can be a costly and unpleasant experience for anyone. Therefore, fair competition in the production of protective glass is very important to ensure the maintenance of low prices and high quality.
Margaret Vestager“We are investigating whether Corning may have attempted to eliminate competing protective glass manufacturers, thereby depriving consumers of cheaper, more shatter-resistant glass,” said the head of the European Union’s antitrust division.
The European Commission is particularly focused on the contracts that Corning has with handset manufacturers and raw material suppliers. The commission is investigating monopoly commitments under which mobile phone manufacturers are required to buy nearly all of their glass from Corning.
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Providing special discounts for exclusive contracts and requiring manufacturers to report competitive offers are other things that will be examined.
If Corning is convicted of violating EU laws, it will likely be fined; However, he will have an opportunity to address the commission’s concerns by presenting a series of commitments and end the antitrust investigation.
