vivo S12 Pro is World’s First Smartphone to Feature SCHOTT Xensation α Cover Glass

SCHOTT welcomes the world’s first smartphone to feature Xensation® α (Alpha): the vivo S12 Pro. Xensation® α is the latest generation of cover glass to be launched by the company, and offers improved drop resistance compared to lithium aluminosilicate (LAS) and aluminosilicate (AS) cover glass types.

“At SCHOTT, we have enjoyed a successful partnership with vivo over the last couple of years. That’s why we are excited that their S12 Pro will be the world’s first smartphone to feature our new Xensation α cover glass,” said Dr. Lutz Klippe, product group manager at SCHOTT.

Launched in late 2021, Xensation α is a chemically strengthened lithium alumino borosilicate (LABS) glass. Besides the industry-standard ingredients lithium and aluminum, Xensation α contains the semimetal boron. This combination produces an extremely powerful high-end cover glass for smartphones with substantial improvements in drop and scratch resistance.

The advantages of Xensation α include:
• Significantly improved drop resistance from double the height* (also “set drop performance” or “drop performance”) compared to other LAS-based premium cover glasses – especially on impact with rugged or sharp-edged, rough surfaces. This testing process, which is designed to reflect the everyday use of smartphones, uses a smartphone dummy dropped from increasing heights onto a hard surface covered in sandpaper. Xensation α can survive drops without breaking from up to twice the maximum height as compared to LAS cover glass.
• Less susceptible to scratches than commercially available aluminosilicate (AS) and LAS cover glass types, as Knoop-diamond indenter lab tests show.
• Combining the character of LAS glass in terms of chemical strengthening potential with the scratch performance of borosilicate glass and a strong glass network as known from glass-ceramics.

SCHOTT and vivo have enjoyed a close partnership over several years, and the two companies have a successful history of smartphone collaborations. Xensation Up. has previously been featured on previous vivo high-end models, including the vivo X70 series, the X60 Pro series, the NEX series, and S9 series.

SCHOTT further strengthens its position in the high-end cover glass business through its latest innovation for foldable smartphones: The mass-produced flexible and chemically strengthened ultra-thin glass (UTG) Xensation Flex enables premium smartphones with flexible screens. As a supplier to Samsung, SCHOTT is enabling a new device generation.