iPhone 12 screens are soft, please grab a protector

[Ricoh GR]

Initially, I went without a screen protector for the first 4 months of ownership. Since then, I've developed a handful of noticeable and deep scratches on the screen from no apparent acute drops or damage. At times my phone and keys are in the same pocket, which I assume is normal. Overall somewhat disappointed in the scratch resistance performance of the screen. There's some discussion that the shatter resistance is inversely proportional to scratch resistance, which is fine if true. But overall it feels like a step backward for Apple.

Anyways, this problem isn't necessarily new; however, oddly enough it isn't well reported either.

Personal photos attached, internet receipts if anyone's asking:

MKBHD discusses this at ~3 minute mark noting how he already has a gash in his screen after a few days of review:

Early observation from demo units which weren't out on the floor for that long.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1320699968038989829

 

[11235813]

The usual answer to this is that it's the oleophobic coating that gets scratched, not the screen. However that makes no sense to me. If I look at my device and see a scratch, it doesn't matter on which layer it is. I've learned to always put on a screen protector on day 1.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Initially, I went without a screen protector for the first 4 months of ownership. Since then, I've developed a handful of noticeable and deep scratches on the screen from no apparent acute drops or damage. At times my phone and keys are in the same pocket, which I assume is normal. Overall somewhat disappointed in the scratch resistance performance of the screen. There's some discussion that the shatter resistance is inversely proportional to scratch resistance, which is fine if true. But overall it feels like a step backward for Apple.

Anyways, this problem isn't necessarily new; however, oddly enough it isn't well reported either.

Personal photos attached, internet receipts if anyone's asking:

MKBHD discusses this at ~3 minute mark noting how he already has a gash in his screen after a few days of review:

Early observation from demo units which weren't out on the floor for that long.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1320699968038989829

The new screens are made to be more shatter proof. As such, they doesn't mean the screen will also be less prone to scratches. It is impossible to have both. Apple chose the former over the latter.

 

[Ricoh GR]

The new screens are made to be more shatter proof. As such, they doesn't mean the screen will also be less prone to scratches. It is impossible to have both. Apple chose the former over the latter.

I have a feeling it's just more expensive to have both and doing so would eat into Apple's margins.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I have a feeling it's just more expensive to have both and doing so would eat into Apple's margins.

It's not a matter of cost, as it is a matter of not being physically possible (in my opinion).

 

[Ricoh GR]

It's not a matter of cost, as it is a matter of not being physically possible (in my opinion).

I think you're discounting the cost part of the equation here. In any event the iPhone 12 screens have no improvement (maybe even a regression) in scratch resistance, which is disappointing.

And MKBHD speculates that the "shatter resistance" improvement is more so a function of the design of the phone; as all 5 sides of the glass are protected (i.e. it's not flush edge to edge) and less so the actual tech of the glass.

This is the typical game Apple plays with consumers across most feature sets: the notch, touch ID in the screen, 120 hz, etc... they won't roll out a feature until they can produce it at a scale that meets their increasingly high profit margins. It's done under the guise of "we don't include features until they are market tested."

 

[Minerbot360]

The usual answer to this is that it's the oleophobic coating that gets scratched, not the screen. However that makes no sense to me. If I look at my device and see a scratch, it doesn't matter on which layer it is. I've learned to always put on a screen protector on day 1.

I made that mistake with my iPad Pro, I write quite heavy handed, so the Apple Pencil quickly scratched off the oleophobic coating on the display.

 

[Starscape]

At times my phone and keys are in the same pocket, which I assume is normal. Overall somewhat disappointed in the scratch resistance performance of the screen. There's some discussion that the shatter resistance is inversely proportional to

Here’s something that always confuses me. Why would anybody be surprised if their phone has scratches when you keep it in the same pocket as your keys? That’s just asking for scratches on a phone.

 

[stormbeast]

At times my phone and keys are in the same pocket, which I assume is normal.

Not normal.
That’s just asking for scratches! I always make sure to keep my phone in it’s own empty pocket — it wouldn’t matter which model of phone it is.

 

[StaceyMJ86]

Not normal.
That’s just asking for scratches! I always make sure to keep my phone in it’s own empty pocket — it wouldn’t matter which model of phone it is.

Even with a screen protector on I still make sure my iPhone is in a separate pocket from my keys.

 

[Allyance]

iPhone 12P is always in left pocket alone, keys in right pocket always. Had my 12P since release, not one tiny little scratch. No screen protector.