Spigen Protects the iPhone's Screen With More Glass

[MacRumors]

The iPhone's glass screen may be made of Corning's advanced Gorilla Glass, but, contrary to Steve Jobs' assertion, that doesn't mean it is scratch proof. Many products exist to solve this problem, including ZAGG's InvisiShield or rugged cases like Otterbox's Defender. Both solutions work well, but the feel of screen protector films bother some users, and though the Otterbox solidly protects the iPhone, it hardly maintains the svelte qualities that Jony Ive and his team worked so hard to create.




As an alternative, Spigen has released a tempered glass screen protector to give an added layer of protection to the iPhone 4S. The 0.4mm thick glass protector completely covers the front glass of the iPhone, protecting it from damage and scratches. Spigen claims the glass is specially reinforced to increase shock absorbency and is three times stronger than standard protective PET film. As it's tempered glass, if broken, it breaks into smaller pieces that aren't sharp.

The SGP GLAS.t iPhone 4 Screen Protector is available for $27.99 plus shipping on Spigen's website.

Article Link: Spigen Protects the iPhone's Screen With More Glass

[Macman45]

Looks interesting, can't quite get my head around the application part though ....If it's glass, looks like putting on an ordinary screen film....Something I have never mastered, but at $27 you wouldn't want to mess too many up.

[hobo.hopkins]

Originally Posted by Macman45

Looks interesting, can't quite get my head around the application part though ....If it's glass, looks like putting on an ordinary screen film....Something I have never mastered, but at $27 you wouldn't want to mess too many up.

I was thinking that myself; it had better be fairly easy to apply or else one would be in a bit of trouble (and out $27...)

[Tastannin]

When in doubt, protect your iPhone with MORE glass!

[bigjnyc]

Yeah like others have already mentioned, I would hate to mess up during that application and be out $27... I think I'll stick to power support even though that wont save you from hard falls and cracks (however I dont think anything thats not a full case will)

[maattp]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Mobile/9A405)

I've had my iPhone 4 for over a year now and the glass still isn't scratched. As long as you don't abuse your phone this really isn't an issue. The aluminum band, on the other hand, is all scratched up

[syan48306]

I bet you that last test with the wrench actually broke the screen and they were like oh **** we can't show that. XD

[flash84x]

How do you remove it?

[Rocko1]

Why do they keep inferring the iPhones still use Gorilla Glass?

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthre...1311957&page=2

Post 49 shows user pics.

[BC2009]

Originally Posted by maattp

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Mobile/9A405)

I've had my iPhone 4 for over a year now and the glass still isn't scratched. As long as you don't abuse your phone this really isn't an issue. The aluminum band, on the other hand, is all scratched up

I assumed that mine would not scratch, but I recently noticed tiny scratches on my iPhone 4S. I've never dropped it and the only thing that might have done it is my keys (which should not be able to scratch Gorilla glass). I usually keep the iPhone in a different pocket than my keys, but every once in a while I forget.

Close inspection makes me think the scratches may be on the underside though as the glass may have dropped at the factory. The scratches are so slight it is hard to notice, but now that I know the scratches are there they bother me.

There are a total of three extremely faint small scratches on the front (two front-and-center, and one by the home button) and one on the back on the bottom left. The reason I think the front glass may have fallen at the factory is because there is a tiny notch in the top-left of front glass by the silence switch under the coating that goes around the edge (not sharp because of coating, but a definite chip-like indentation). Anyway, the little notch never bothered me to drive across town to Apple Store, but the faint scratches that are in the center of the screen drive me a little nuts.

As far as the back-side scratch goes, I cannot guess what would have caused it. Holding the phone at an oblique angle does not reveal the scratches (making me think they are not on the outer surface). I have to be looking at the phone straight on and tilt it slightly away from me before they show up.

Anybody else getting scratched glass on their iPhone 4/4S with normal non-abusive use?

[jephrey]

I've also had tiny scratches from non wear and tear use. I segregate it from my keys and it gets its own pocket (of course I also forget from time to time). Aside from that, I do notice small scratches that I think are from somewhere else.

I will say that debris and dust can cause these scratches. Not organic maybe but if you have some ceramic chips or some other really hard material dust, it can do it.

Luckily I have a microscope handy (5X) and I just took a look at my screen. All scratches were surface but I suppose I didn't expect anything else. I didn't find any scratches on the "in"side.

FWIW, I also took my phone apart and put it back together a few days ago to fix a sticky home button... Still the inside of the glass looks good - although I didn't have to go between the glass and screen.

[Yamcha]

My brother has dropped his iPhone on few occasions and the glass broke.. In most cases I assume If you take care if it you'll be good..

But I don't understand why Apple does not use gorilla glass on their phones..?

[Sardonick007]

Those scratch tests on the video are hilarious. Made my night! Love watching Apple related comedy. I do like the glass cover idea though, even if the scratch tests are about as stupid as the new samsung commercials.

[Koodauw]

Does it come in anti-glare version

[SuperCachetes]

Originally Posted by maattp

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Mobile/9A405)

I've had my iPhone 4 for over a year now and the glass still isn't scratched. As long as you don't abuse your phone this really isn't an issue. The aluminum band, on the other hand, is all scratched up

Kinda my theory. The kind of knocks or falls that will ruin your day, this won't help you with - but I have yet to see any kinds of scratches on the surface of my glass, with daily use.

Still, it's a neat product IMHO.

[2 Replies]

Glass on glass is a BAD idea.
The physics of glass dictates that any cracks in the 'protector' will easily propagate to the iphone, regardless of being tempered or not.
Add to that the fact that tempered glass and gorilla glass expand at different rates means you're MORE likely to get cracks.

[justperry]

Originally Posted by 2 Replies

Glass on glass is a BAD idea.
The physics of glass dictates that any cracks in the 'protector' will easily propagate to the iphone, regardless of being tempered or not.
Add to that the fact that tempered glass and gorilla glass expand at different rates means you're MORE likely to get cracks.

While I agree with you on your first point, the second is just plain rubbish.

Plastic screen protector on glass would do a better job than Glass on Glass.

How much do you think the glass will expand, first there are no extreme temperatures, like 100s of degrees and second, the difference(in expanding and contracting-temperature coefficient) in both the iphones glass and the add on is negligible.
And then there is the glue between, it will act as a medium in between both layers that will give a bit.
The size of the glass is so small it will only expand contract just fractions of a mm in normal environments(temperatures).

[buddybd]

wth sounds from CSS? lol That freaked me out.

[tahoeroscoe]

looks pretty cool, scratch protection without the crappy rubber-plastic feel.

[Rampant.A.I.]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone 4s: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

Originally Posted by Yamcha

My brother has dropped his iPhone on few occasions and the glass broke.. In most cases I assume If you take care if it you'll be good..

But I don't understand why Apple does not use gorilla glass on their phones..?

They do.

[Skika]

Worst sound Fx-es in the history of ever.

[bushido]

28$? pfffff i can get a whole new 4S from my insurance company for 20 bucks

[jabbawok]

Originally Posted by 2 Replies

Glass on glass is a BAD idea.
The physics of glass dictates that any cracks in the 'protector' will easily propagate to the iphone, regardless of being tempered or not.
Add to that the fact that tempered glass and gorilla glass expand at different rates means you're MORE likely to get cracks.

Ruuuuubbishhhh.

The bond between them wouldn't be strong enough to transfer the forces from one sheet to the other. The protector breaking would most likely absorb the energy needed to break it. Indeed I have had old original iPhones which have laminated digitiser and lcd (like the 4/4s), where one has cracked and the other has survived.

[Rocko1]

Originally Posted by Rampant.A.I.

Wirelessly posted (iPhone 4s: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)



They do.

No, they DID.

[jabbawok]

Originally Posted by Rocko1

No, they DID.

I think they have simply stopped using Dowe Corning's branding. Its very likely the same stuff used under licence.