The EU puts the manufacturer of the famous Gorilla Glass under the microscope: its exclusive agreements, in the spotlight

The name Corning probably doesn’t sound too familiar to you, but it is the company that markets the products Gorilla Glass which we find in devices like the Google Pixel 9 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. The activities of this American multinational have aroused the interest of European regulators.

The European Commission wants to know if Corning “has abused its dominant position” in the global market for alkali-aluminosilicate glass that is marketed under brands such as Gorilla Glass, among others. With that goal in mind, has opened an investigation formal that includes several suspicions about possible anti-competitive practices.

Corning, under the scrutiny of the European Commission

The epicenter of the investigation is found in a series of agreements that could have harmed competition. The Commission points out exclusivity pacts both with mobile phone manufacturers (OEM) and with companies that process raw glass (finishers). Let’s look at some details in each of the areas covered by the research.

The agreements with the equipment manufacturers, it is suspected, included exclusive sourcing obligations requiring them to source all or nearly all of their glass demand from Corning. In this case, a manufacturer would not be able to use equivalent solutions from different suppliers in their products.

It is also mentioned that clients can access refunds if they comply with the obligations of the exclusive supply. Additionally, there are clauses requiring mobile device manufacturers to inform Corning about competing offers. They can accept them only when Corning cannot match them in price.

The Commission believes that the aforementioned practices may have harmed rival companies, but not only that, they also point to an increase in price increases from less innovation. Now that the investigation is underway it is a matter of time before we find out Corning has finally breached the bloc’s competition rules.

It should be noted that there is no specific date closure of the investigation. The duration of these procedures depends on several factors, such as the complexity of the case and the cooperation of the companies.

Images | Olga Nayda | Corning

In Xataka | Final point for the SeriesYonkis case. The Constitutional Court moves away from the pressures and confirms the acquittal