Monopoly and restriction of competition. The European Union suspects the manufacturer of Gorilla Glass

The European Union is a giant juggernaut that gives power through the fingers of big, global companies. Apple, Google, or Meta, all of them have been the target of various cases and investigations several times. Now the European Commission, i.e. the executive body of the European Union, is trying to shine a light on the well-known manufacturer of tempered glass, Corning. It supplies its glasses in bulk to Apple, among others.

Corning got into trouble with Gorilla Glass

The Corning company specializes in durable glass and offers many types. Probably the most famous glass from this manufacturer’s workshops is Gorilla Glass, which is used by the vast majority of mobile manufacturers. Corning also produces durable glass for iPhones, more specifically Ceramic Shield, and Apple invested almost half a billion dollars in this company between 2017 and 2021.

But back to the present and the problems Corning is currently experiencing on the European market. The investigation was reported directly by the European Commission, which fears that Corning is abusing its dominant position as a supplier of durable glass for phones to limit competition in the industry. In short, good old monopoly tactics.

Is Corning engaging in unfair practices?

Is Corning breaking the law?

The European Commission is more specifically interested in several aspects. The first is the fact that the company requires manufacturers to buy all (or almost all) glass exclusively from it. Of course, Corning will offer them discounts for this incentive. The company further requires manufacturers to let it know if they receive a better offer from a competitor in order to match it.

The commission is concerned that the agreements that Corning has made with phone manufacturers, but also with material processors, may exclude competing manufacturers from large segments of the market. The EU has therefore decided to investigate whether the well-known company does not violate the rules of competition within the European Union. The investigation is still in its early stages and we will have to wait for the results.

Is Corning denying us cheaper glasses?

The result of a possible violation of competition rules within the EU and a dominant position on the market could theoretically be that similar quality but cheaper durable glass cannot get into phones because of Corning. If it is proven that Corning has indeed broken the rules, it faces heavy penalties.