Does the iPhone 4 scratch?

NebulaClash said:

Yes, I know, silly question: anything will scratch if you try hard enough. But what I mean is do I really need a case for the iPhone 4? I haven't used a screen protector for my year-old (almost) iPad, and the screen looks as good as new.

So for someone like me who never drops his phone, if I don't bother with any bumper, case or shield, what will my iPhone 4 screen look like after a year's usage where I keep it in my shirt pocket daily? Will it really be scratched up the way old iPods got? Or will it look more like my iPad screen that is basically flawless after many months of daily use?

Click to expand...

Do ya feel lucky, punk?

I guess if you will *never*, *ever*, *not even posssibly*, *not even someday*
- forget that you had a pen, coin, key, etc. in that pocket
- trip or lose your balance and fall with it in your pocket or hand
- have someone bump into you while you are holding it
- put it down on a surface that has grit, sand, paperclips, etc. on it

...then you won't need a case. I have never done any of these things, but I'm not willing to gamble $300-$750 that I won't. So I have a case for "insurance."

Mostly it just smudges.

Yes, something could happen. Yes, you have to try to be careful. But still, I think it's worth it to go caseless. No problems yet. Sure, if you look really closely you can see proof that my phone is used. If you're trying to sell it for maximum value next year, maybe don't follow my lead.

But as far as I'm concerned, my phone looks fine from 1 foot away and it's much more enjoyable to use.

It's worth it.

(And yes, I've dropped it from about 3 feet high 2 or 3 times since I've bought it.)

I don't know WHY these people on here shell out 30+ dollars for friggin screen protectors. You'll always hear people say something like: "after X amount of time, my screen protector was so scratched up blablah, and if not for my screen protector, my glass would have looked like that". But - that's inherently flawed because it assumes the iPhone screen is as "soft" as a piece of clear urethane.

Take your lack of iPad screen protector as the perfect example. It's essentially just a large iPhone screen (although the iPhone 4 screen is supposedly even better quality in terms of hardness/durability). My original iPhone I got in 2007 has no screen scratches and that thing is beat up to pieces.

Having said that, I still personally have a screen protector on my iPhone 4. I got about 5 no-name brand ones on eBay for about $2 shipped. My friend spent some insane amount of money on a ZAGG protector that feels like absolute crap, so I bought these just to show him what a waste of money his purchase was. These no-name brand ones I got are absolutely flawless and nearly impossible to spot even when handling the phone, and don't have that God-awful feel of the ZAGG and other popular brands on here. So, I still have it on, but it's not necessary.

I have about a dozen cases for my phone but lately have gone caseless. I found that all the cases just made it slightly more difficult to get the phone out of my pocket and became annoying on jeans where it would flip my pocket inside out. I've been caseless now for a month or two and to my horror accidentally dropped the phone from chest height out in my driveway. It landed smack on the concrete and isn't any worse for wear aside from a small nick in the aluminum band.

Ghost Armor. Best stuff I've ever put on the thing.

I scratched the back of my iP4 within a day or two of launch.

I just noticed a scratch on the front the other day.

Yes, it scratches. Still love it though...

smithrh said:

I scratched the back of my iP4 within a day or two of launch.

I just noticed a scratch on the front the other day.

Yes, it scratches. Still love it though...

Click to expand...

Ahh, yes, this reminds me that I completely forgot to mention the back glass.

The back glass DOES scratch. I noticed a decent sized scratch on my back glass within a day or two of getting it.

I've had the Lucky Labs Teksure Skin back wrap on it for several months now. Don't plan on ever taking it off

How about a pouch for the occasions you want to just chuck your iphone in a bag or in a pocket with keys and change? That way you get to use the iphone naked but it still has some protection just in case. This is what I do. No screen protectors as I prefer the feel of the iphone naked. A nice leather pouch also gives the screen a clean every time you use it

Yes and No

The iPhone does scratch, but it's actually pretty good at not getting scratched. The iPods use a chrome back, which scratches even with a grain of sand. The iPhone 4 has glass on the back, and even though it's glass... Its not easy to scratch. Same with the screen. I find the iPhone 4 to be so scratch resistant. I really do love it. Bit I like the White iPhone 3Gs the best(;

NebulaClash said:

Yeah, that's not a bad idea. Of course I'll expect someone to chime in and say, "Yeah, but the pouch will scratch your phone!"

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Ha! True, and it was a slight worry for me but I used the 3gs in a leather pouch and it kept the phone pristine. the back on the 3gs was a total scratch magnet yet it was scratch free when i sold it on after a year of use

My iPhone 4 has been naked since I purchased it back in August. I do have one slight hairline scratch on the back of the phone under the Apple logo. Otherwise, my phone is scratch free. I also am very conscious about cleaning and taking care of my phone as well. I would say that if you're prone to dropping or mishandling your phone, then maybe a case is for you. However, if you take care of your electronics, then I would say a case is not necessary.

Yes it does get scratched. Mine is 5 months old, hairline scratches front and back, hard to see, but they are there.

My first iPhone 4 got scratches on the back from where my wedding ring touched it when I held it in my left hand. The front also got some scratches. I never dropped it, and it always went in my pocket with nothing else. I exchanged it for another issue and put front and back protectors on it.

My iPhone 3GS was caseless and protectorless, and the back had scratches, as would be expected, but the front was scratch-free.

When I got my Verizon iPhone this past week, I already had a set of front and back protectors from Power Support USA. Installed them that night. You can't beat them. The crystal shield, you won't even know is there.

If you don't mind some light scratching, don't worry about it. But if you're OCD and don't want a single scratch, protect it, because it will likely get scratched. I also like to sell mine each year to get money for the next one, so I like to keep it in the best possible condition.

Of course it does.

NebulaClash said:

Yes, I know, silly question: anything will scratch if you try hard enough. But what I mean is do I really need a case for the iPhone 4? I haven't used a screen protector for my year-old (almost) iPad, and the screen looks as good as new.

So for someone like me who never drops his phone, if I don't bother with any bumper, case or shield, what will my iPhone 4 screen look like after a year's usage where I keep it in my shirt pocket daily? Will it really be scratched up the way old iPods got? Or will it look more like my iPad screen that is basically flawless after many months of daily use?

Click to expand...

DoctorK4 said:

Do ya feel lucky, punk?

I guess if you will *never*, *ever*, *not even posssibly*, *not even someday*
- forget that you had a pen, coin, key, etc. in that pocket
- trip or lose your balance and fall with it in your pocket or hand
- have someone bump into you while you are holding it
- put it down on a surface that has grit, sand, paperclips, etc. on it

...then you won't need a case. I have never done any of these things, but I'm not willing to gamble $300-$750 that I won't. So I have a case for "insurance."

Click to expand...

Hey, guess what, I've done all those things, except falling over while holding it in my hand (seriously?), and I'm pretty sure most surfaces have some type of grit on them. I currently have 2 light scratches on the back, on one the front. OP - I've never used one my 2G, 3G, or 4 and they all look great. Another way to view the post from the Dr. would be -

*Have you used cases on your other phones?
*Are you clumsy?
*Do you have a habit of breaking your gadgets?
*Been in an unlikely situation?
*Want to tell everyone what a great looking phone you have but never actually see it?
*Think it's more important to use your phone for what you purchased it for that continually worrying about things that may or may not happen?


rock it naked, you'll be fine.

It doesn't scratch you, but you can scratch it.

I have a few minor scratches on mine, nothing major though. I have no screen protector on mine but keep keys and phone in separate pockets.

Anything can scratch but an iPhone is hard to scratch

I don't remember where, but I thought I read something about how their glass doesn't get scratched. I wasn't worried about it, so I let my dog walk on my ipad without thinking twice. Well, she left a couple nice scratches on it, so I try to move it any time I see they are about to cross paths.