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Samtb

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 6, 2013
1,490
32
Does the oleophobic coating never rub off. I can still wipe my iphone clean no matter how smudged it gets.
 

Intell

macrumors P6
Jan 24, 2010
18,955
509
Inside
It will, like all glass coatings, eventually wear off. It will be gradual and you likely won't notice it until you use a new device that has one.
 

AQUADock

macrumors 65816
Mar 20, 2011
1,049
37
The coating will come off with time but not after a few rubs, if the screen is dirty clean it.
 

Samtb

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 6, 2013
1,490
32
Because it is very gradual. It's like not noticing your keyboard is becoming smooth from use until you use a new keyboard or inspect it with great attention to its texture.

How can you tell the difference between an oleophobic screen and anon oleophobic one anyway? Can't you rub off oil from both by wiping? For example, you can wipe smudges off windows which aren't oleophobic coated
 

Intell

macrumors P6
Jan 24, 2010
18,955
509
Inside
How can you tell the difference between an oleophobic screen and anon oleophobic one anyway? Can't you rub off oil from both by wiping? For example, you can wipe smudges off windows which aren't oleophobic coated

A new iPhone's screen doesn't get fingerprints on it very easily. It also wipes clean with one wipe of a shirt. An old iPhone or regular glass window doesn't wipe clean with one wipe, it just smudges the finger oils around.
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,438
43,345
It will, like all glass coatings, eventually wear off. It will be gradual and you likely won't notice it until you use a new device that has one.

Mine wore off and it was very noticeable. I now will always use a screen protector for this very reason
 

Samtb

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 6, 2013
1,490
32
A new iPhone's screen doesn't get fingerprints on it very easily. It also wipes clean with one wipe of a shirt. An old iPhone or regular glass window doesn't wipe clean with one wipe, it just smudges the finger oils around.

A new iphone does still get fingerprints though. And a 2 year old iPhone still rubs off smudges all over the screen with a few wipes even after I've used it with very oily hands.
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,438
43,345
As it wears off you won't notice it until it's mostly gone.

I completely disagree with you, I noticed mine, not only because I had finger prints but also because it produced a white-ish haze on the glass. That phenomenon is not unusual, when it occurred to me, I was googling and reading up on it. Losing the coating is not a pretty site.
 

Intell

macrumors P6
Jan 24, 2010
18,955
509
Inside
A new iphone does still get fingerprints though. And a 2 year old iPhone still rubs off smudges all over the screen with a few wipes even after I've used it with very oily hands.

There are differences between the two though. An old iPhone takes more time to clean the screen than a new one. A new one's screen is more resistant to fingerprints.
 

Samtb

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 6, 2013
1,490
32
There are differences between the two though. An old iPhone takes more time to clean the screen than a new one. A new one's screen is more resistant to fingerprints.

But it's still there. And if you use it heavily, its not goint to be as good as new fter about a month or so. But even then, I've never seen an iPhone with its oleophobic coating completely rubbed off.
 

Intell

macrumors P6
Jan 24, 2010
18,955
509
Inside
But it's still there. And if you use it heavily, its not goint to be as good as new fter about a month or so. But even then, I've never seen an iPhone with its oleophobic coating completely rubbed off.

It isn't still there. The coating is a very, very thin layer only about a few microns thick. Once your finger rubs that away, all you have is the glass. It may still be on the corners of the screen and on the top and bottom where the display isn't.
 

bushman4

macrumors 601
Mar 22, 2011
4,017
3,420
Oleophobic coating takes a while to wear off under normal wear and tear. Using chemicals, abrasive cloths etc to clean your screen will accelerate the process. Putting a screen protector on will protect the screen and the coating.
 

abz1981

macrumors 65816
Jan 3, 2011
1,013
4
If you never want it to rub off then just get a screen protector and use that. And each time you want to feel the real screen remove the protector and have a feel and replace screen protector on the screen.
 

Samtb

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 6, 2013
1,490
32
It isn't still there. The coating is a very, very thin layer only about a few microns thick. Once your finger rubs that away, all you have is the glass. It may still be on the corners of the screen and on the top and bottom where the display isn't.

But then why is it possible to rub off smudges completely on very old iphone screens.

----------

How do we get it back? Any kits available?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008H2GFUW
 

Intell

macrumors P6
Jan 24, 2010
18,955
509
Inside
But then why is it possible to rub off smudges completely on very old iphone screens.

Because that's just how glass is. That's why you can clean a window or any other glass thing. The coating just makes it much easier.
 

Samtb

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 6, 2013
1,490
32
Because that's just how glass is. That's why you can clean a window or any other glass thing. The coating just makes it much easier.

On a window, it takes a lot of rubbing to get oil based stuff off though. A lot more than an old iPhone.
 

Intell

macrumors P6
Jan 24, 2010
18,955
509
Inside
On a window, it takes a lot of rubbing to get oil based stuff off though. A lot more than an old iPhone.

That's because windows aren't touched constantly. The oils start to dry or cure on the window causing them to be more difficult to remove. On an iPhone with a worn off coating, the oils are kept active through the constant use of the phone.
 

Samtb

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 6, 2013
1,490
32
That's because windows aren't touched constantly. The oils start to dry or cure on the window causing them to be more difficult to remove. On an iPhone with a worn off coating, the oils are kept active through the constant use of the phone.

Interesting. So is there really a point in an oleophobic coating on it?
 

Abarth1200

macrumors regular
Jun 26, 2010
249
5
Doesnt it add to the slickness of the screen, so you can slide hour finger around it better, try sliding your finger on your windows, kinda sticky feeling huh
 
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