(Bloomberg) -- Corning Inc. faces a European Union antitrust probe amid suspicions it abused its market dominance to squeeze out rival makers of break-resistant smartphone screens.
The European Commission said Wednesday it had concerns the company may have distorted competition by forging exclusive agreements with mobile phone manufacturers.
The Brussels-based EU executive said the agreements may have also blocked competing glass manufacturers from making deals with smartphone makers.
“We are investigating if Corning, a major producer of this special glass, may have tried to exclude rival glass producers, thereby depriving consumers from cheaper and more break-resistant glass.” EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager said in a statement.
While Corning still has the opportunity to offset the commission’s concerns, it could eventually face hefty penalties of up to 10% of global annual revenue.
Corning markets Alkali-aluminosilicate glass — used as cover for displays of portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, tablets, or smartwatches — under the “Gorilla Glass” brand, among others.
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