Corning’s flexible Willow Glass won’t appear in products until 2016 at the earliest, the company tells Bloomberg. Corning Glass Technologies president James Clappin explains that despite the company’s own hopes that Willow would reach the public in 2013, potential buyers haven’t developed products that can actually exploit the glass. He does add however that the company is training “very big name” clients on how to handle Willow, which can be produced in rolls like newsprint.
In recent months more media attention has been focused on the prospect of flexible electronics, in large part because of Corning’s work. Some speculation has held that Apple’s anticipated watch might use the technology, especially given rumors that it will use a curved display wrapping around the wrist. Corning’s statements may cast doubt on an iWatch being released anytime soon or it will need to be in a different form factor that what the rumors have said it would.
