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Anyone know why the iPhone 4 screen scratches so easily?

A

AndrewR23

Contributor
Original poster
Jun 24, 2010
4,708
1,860
I treat my iPhone like it's gold with a hard case which goes into a leather case pouch and I STILL have scratches on the screen (this scratch happened the 5 days I didn't have my screen protector on.)

I feel screen protectors are 1. Ugly, 2. REALLY lower the resolution.


Just wondering how many people have scratches.
 
andrewr23 said:
I treat my iPhone like it's gold with a hard case which goes into a leather case pouch and I STILL have scratches on the screen (this scratch happened the 5 days I didn't have my screen protector on.)

I feel screen protectors are 1. Ugly, 2. REALLY lower the resolution.


Just wondering how many people have scratches.
Click to expand...

Sounds like your leather pouch may be causing it... grinding particles in to the screen.
 
No idea why...
Mine scratches very well. I hate screen protectors. They just don't feel right.

I had a deep scratch on mine and apple replaced it. Now, mine has light scratches. I was being really careful, but no use...

I am going to replace it one more time before iPhone 5 comes out.
 
hcho3 said:
No idea why...
Mine scratches very well. I hate screen protectors. They just don't feel right.

I had a deep scratch on mine and apple replaced it. Now, mine has light scratches. I was being really careful, but no use...

I am going to replace it one more time before iPhone 5 comes out.
Click to expand...


Doing this too, replacing it before iPhone 5

I would say this was a light scratch and i forgot to mention it was BEFORE the leather pouch. Must be dirt in my pocket? No clue but it looks like a quarter scratched it. I can barely feel it with my fingernail but its noticeable when the screen is off.

hcho3-what exactly do you consider light scratches?
 
Does it?:confused:

I've had my iP4 since June most of the time without any protection, no scratches on it front and back.
 
I've had mine since launch day and don't have any scratches. When I took it to an apple store for service, the genius was surprised on how perfect it was.
 
My screen has no protection and I have no scratches at all. I throw it in my pocket, drop it under my car seat, find my cat playing with it, and it still looks like the day I got it.
 
jwingfie said:
My screen has no protection and I have no scratches at all. I throw it in my pocket, drop it under my car seat, find my cat playing with it, and it still looks like the day I got it.
Click to expand...

Wow, I have no idea why mine or the earlier guy has them. Mine has been "babied"

Im not really OCD and I'm not talking about scratches you have to look for, just one i saw while reading a text in the sunlight. Any way to get rid of it?


Edit-a screen protector covers them btw.
 
I usually keep mine in the same pocket as I keep my diamonds. Can't figure out why it's so scratched up.
 
lsvtecjohn3 said:
I don't use a screen protector
Click to expand...

+1



OP think about it this way
Its not the phone that is scratching easier, its that the screen resolution is higher and you notice the scratches more

a) Higher resolution means you hold the phone closer now

and also

b) The exact same scratch on an iphone 3g and an iphone 4 ( same size and depth). Will look worse on the iPhone 4. This is because it covers more pixels and therefore distorts the image more.
 
Shenaniganz08 said:
+1



OP think about it this way
Its not the phone that is scratching easier, its that the screen resolution is higher and you notice the scratches more

a) Higher resolution means you hold the phone closer now

and also

b) The exact same scratch on an iphone 3g and an iphone 4 ( same size and depth). Will look worse on the iPhone 4. This is because it covers more pixels and therefore distorts the image more.
Click to expand...

True...Im putting a screen protector on it saturday from apple. Whatever they have in stock is what im getting.
 
I've had mine since day one with no screen protectors and have got no scratches on the front or back.

The only damage is on the stainless steel band where dust trapped between the bumper and phone has rubbed the surface finish off. :(
 
OllyW said:
I've had mine since day one with no screen protectors and have got no scratches on the front or back.

The only damage is on the stainless steel band where dust trapped between the bumper and phone has rubbed the surface finish off. :(
Click to expand...



Is it worse than a scratch? The scratches Im talking about have to be seen from direct sunlight or direct light and tilting your phone a certain way. I'm pretty sure everyones phones has some. Dont look though or you will become OCD lol
 
Maybe you haven't tried a high quality screen protector? A power support crystal screen protector would be almost invisible and really not affect screen quality. The matte ones of course ruin the beautiful display, making it look blurry, and some lower quality ones have weird coloring effects. Also, it makes a huge difference if you don't apply it properly and end up with bubbles under it -- ugly!
 
Ive found that the i4 is probably the best screen for not being scratched i have ever owned....

Im well pleased with it:):):):):):):):):):):):)
 
lsvtecjohn3 said:
Just cleaned my iP4 and I have zero scratches and I don't use a screen protector
Click to expand...

I am always surprised when people say this. I am careful with my phone and it has lots of small scratches in it. I am not sure what I could do differently to avoid it. My iPad is in an Apple case most of the time and it still even has some small "scratches," but it isn't as bad as my iPhone 4.
 
Shenaniganz08 said:
OP think about it this way
Its not the phone that is scratching easier, its that the screen resolution is higher and you notice the scratches more

a) Higher resolution means you hold the phone closer now
Click to expand...

I honestly don't think the higher resolution would make any difference to how easily scratches are noticed. And why would a higher resolution make you hold your phone closer? I suppose it means it looks sharp up to a closer distance, but it's not good for your eyes to bring it closer to your face.

The thread starter said that they noticed one scratch whilst reading under sunlight. Bright light, such as sunlight, shows up all the blemishes on the screen very easily. I'd like to know, however, whether or not it's a deep scratch we're talking about.

OP, can you feel the scratch with your nail? If not, it's just a surface scratch in the oleophobic coating, not the glass screen. It's very easy to get scratches in the coating (it's a ludicrously thin layer of oil-repellent plastic) and these are considered normal. You should only be really concerned if the scratch is deep into the glass and catches a fingernail as you run it over.

I had a deep glass scratch on my iPad (which thankfully got replaced due to dust under the glass). I had no idea how it happened, since I had been babying it and keeping it inside a case (that covers the front when not in use). I'm just saying that glass scratches do happen on all iOS devices by chance.

The iPhone 4 is no less susceptible - in fact, it has the toughest glass so far in an iOS device. You can still get unlucky and suffer scratches in it, though. It's not scratch-proof, only resistant.
 
andrewr23 said:
I feel screen protectors are 1. Ugly, 2. REALLY lower the resolution.
Click to expand...
I use a screen protector and its 1. Not ugly and 2. It does not affect the resolution. In fact I've never heard such a complaint.

I've been using Ghost Armor and to be perfectly honest, you don't even notice its there. When owned a 3Gs, I was surprised at how the olephobic coating wore off. It made the phone look worse. I alway use a case with my phone but the screen protector ensures that the coating is intact and I incur no scratches.

To be honest, I generally don't see threads here about people complaining about scratches who have screen protector on. While there are many folks that will argue tooth and nail that its not needed. This thread like the others are a testament to its need.
 
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