How strong is the iPad glass?

[egosumcarlo]

While inspecting my iPad, my cousin pressed on the glass too hard than I would have liked on the black band region near the Home Button. He later explained that he thought the dark region was a hard case of some sort and wanted to see how hard the case was. There was not a crack or any noticeable damage. I know that the glass can break if the iPad is dropped from a certain height, I just wanted to ask if there anyone knows how easy it is to damage the glass with excessive pressure from fingers/hands. While I certainly wont be trying replicate it, I saw a video where some researchers in Japan tested the durability of the glass by hand-pressing on it. Maybe I'm just being paranoid or protective with a new gadget?

 

[Sherifftruman]

I have wondered if it was even glass. It feels liek plastic to me.

At any rate, it is either broken or not, so as long as you don't see a crack, I would not give it another thought.

 

[HLW]

Yes it is glass. I'd be more worried about someone bending the aluminium back if they were rough with it personally, if you push on the back you feel it flexing, even if you don't use much force.

 

[code2006]

are you sure the ipad is glass? if u flick or tap the front it sounds like its plastic unlike my iphone 4

 

[astrakick10]

It's 100% glass as there are replacement glass digitisers now on eBay uk site for sale. The glass is not as strong as the iPhone 4 so be aware it does scratch easier. Iv got an iPad and have bought a microfiber cloth to clean it with so it doesn't scratch it. Hope this helps

 

[Resist]

It may be glass, but with a plastic laminate over it for the pressure sensors. You can feel the plastic, as it's nothing like the Macbook Pro glass screen.

 

[gr8tfly]

You're probably feeling the oleophobic coating. The digitizer is under the glass and actually is contact (electrical field - capacitive) sensitive, not pressure.

The sensor is laminated to the glass between it and the display (attached image from Apple - yes, it's an iPhone, but the iPad is based on the same technology).

 

[Resist]

Whatever it's made of, it definitely feels spongy compared to my Macbook Pro's glass screen.

 

[saberahul]

Screen is made of glass not plastic. It has laminated coating(s) on top of the base glass. A plastic screen can be noticed when pressed upon - reflections occur in ripple textures; glass wouldn't produce such an effect (thats probably one of the simplest I can think of right now without getting technical behind the engineering of the iPad screen).
The glass is as strong as a helicopters windshield - technically called to be of "helicopter windshield standard." It means precisely what the name suggests.