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Screen coating

M

markab

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 23, 2010
111
4
UK
The olephobic screen coating has started to wear off my 8 month old iPhone 3GS, even using a clean micro fibber cloth I cannot fully get the screen smudge free in fact the surface of the screen now looks slightly cloudy. There is also a lot of resistance swiping across the screen which makes the user interaction horrible. The faded coating is worse than a 3G with no coating.

That all said, when my iPad gets to this stage it will look and feel horrible, it seems the warranty notes it does not cover coatings designed to fade over time. Do you think this is acceptable given that it diminishes the usability of the item or is this a good ploy by apple to keep you buying new? The whole point of the iPad is interaction with the screen.
 
Chupa Chupa

Chupa Chupa

macrumors G5
Jul 16, 2002
14,835
7,396
0101001 said:
Get a screen protecter.
Click to expand...

+1. It's similar to tires or brakes on a car. Manufacturers don't warrant parts considered "consumable." If the coating breaks down, worst case you remove it all. Functionality should not change because of that.

I have a screen protector on my iPhone -- screen looks like new. I put one on my iPad too, naturally. If you don't want to spend $$$ on one I understand. I didn't either. You can get a perfectly fine one on eBay for a $1 or 2.
 
A

aneftp

macrumors 601
Jul 28, 2007
4,363
549
Yeah, you guys got me worried. I've had the iPad 3G for 3 days. I haven't planned on using the screen protector at all on the iPad but after reading how the coating could come off, I just ordered a 3X screen ipad protector from ebay also. Paid $7.49 and it ships from New York so I should get it back Friday/Saturday at the lastest. The $4.99 was from Hong Kong and those usually take 2 weeks.
 
W

WLS

macrumors 65816
Jul 10, 2008
1,288
110
I'm not sure you can take the iphone screen wear issue and relate it directly to the iPad. It may or may not be the same coating and the smaller screen would tend to concentrate the wear into a smaller area. If you did a lot of texting than that would be an above average wear scenario right there. I would agree though that a screen protector will help prevent some wear but it seems at the price of clarity in some cases.
 
M

markab

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 23, 2010
111
4
UK
I can't stand screen protectors, defeats the purpose of having a screen with a special coating. It's like having some ugly case on your phone because you don't want it to get scratched but instead you just have an ugly scratched case.

I just hope the iPad coating holds up better than on the 3GS.
 
MRU

MRU

macrumors Penryn
Aug 23, 2005
25,368
8,948
a better place
If you by the luck of the gods manage to get a screen protector without any annoying dust particles or air bubbles whilst applying, then you really won't notice one is on at all. I went through 3 attempts to get one on my iPad. Now it looks great and I know my screen is protected that little bit more.
 
S

Scott-n-Houston

macrumors 65816
Apr 27, 2008
1,021
334
Houston (duh)
Screen protector to protect the coating?? Who are you saving the coating for??

Just use it and enjoy the awesome screen, and if it wears out, then put on a protector. It will feel the same as your new screen with the same protector on it.

I can see getting a screen protector if you're high risk for scratches, but not for fear of wearing off the coating.
 
iPad1iPad

iPad1iPad

macrumors newbie
Apr 17, 2010
28
0
Screen protector on mine with virtually no loss of screen clarity. The screen protector has actually helped with some of the glare and fingerprints, even though I'm using the Crystal version (not the anti-glare version).

Besides the reports of scratches on screens, the message in the iPad User Guide concerned me a little, too. So, I decided it's better to be safe than sorry.

Here is what the UG states:

"Cleaning iPad...iPad has an oleophobic coating on the screen; simply wipe the iPad screen with a soft, lint-free cloth to remove oil left by your hands. The ability of this coating to repel oil will diminish over time with normal usage, and rubbing the screen with an abrasive material will further diminish its effect and may scratch your screen."
 
harry*333

harry*333

macrumors 6502a
Jul 24, 2009
505
28
markab said:
I can't stand screen protectors, defeats the purpose of having a screen with a special coating. It's like having some ugly case on your phone because you don't want it to get scratched but instead you just have an ugly scratched case.

I just hope the iPad coating holds up better than on the 3GS.
Click to expand...

if your first thought of a screen protector is something with bubbles, and dirt then you need to try Power Support's static film
no adhesive, perfectly clear, feels the same as the glass screen, and unnoticeable unless you look at the very edges looking for it
they may be a little expensive but I just had to replace the one in my itouch and it lasted about 2 years
 
CarboysDesire

CarboysDesire

macrumors 6502a
Jun 9, 2008
816
276
Las Vegas
I'm torn.

I had my first iPhone for two years and never realized there was a coating. I used to rub it with alcohol wipes constantly...every couple of days. I never noticed any change in my screen. And I used it a lot!

My 3GS has been getting the same treatment for...when was launch?...10 months ago? No changes there either.

I've never desired a protector because it was just so easy to wipe it face down on my leg.

But the iPad shows fingerprints like crazy.

What I want to know is if I can use cleaners made for eyeglasses. They have a very mild consistency--barely noticeable. I don't think they have alcohol. They don't smell like it.


Maybe I'll get a cover just to try it.
 
Jaro65

Jaro65

macrumors 68040
Mar 27, 2009
3,822
926
Seattle, WA
CarboysDesire said:
What I want to know is if I can use cleaners made for eyeglasses. They have a very mild consistency--barely noticeable. I don't think they have alcohol. They don't smell like it.

Maybe I'll get a cover just to try it.
Click to expand...

I would just not use solvents of any kind. Not sure how they would react with the oleophobic coating, and to me it is just not worth risking it.
 
Piggie

Piggie

macrumors G3
Feb 23, 2010
9,117
4,016
hugodrax said:
Apply RainX, That coating is pretty much the same stuff as RainX

Get the Original towelettes. Make sure you use a new clean terrycloth (White) to rub in a circular pattern to polish up and clean out the rain-x and you would see how smooth the surface gets.

http://www.rainx.com/Products/Windshield_Treatment/Original.aspx#
Click to expand...

I wish I could be guaranteed that this did no damage at all to the iPads screen.

I used to use it on the screens of an old Palm and Pocket PC.

I believe on those screens there was a thin sheet of plastic over the screen (that's how they worked) and it was like the stylus (which you used on those screen) was then on a super slippery surface.

Lovely.

Whilst Rain-X does not in itself add any protective layer as such, it does put some silicon (I think) onto the surface which massively reduces friction. (Hence why water runs off them on a windshield)

So, if you reduce the friction between the iPads screen and your fingertips, you will be reducing wear (fingers can even wear metal away over time)

As I say, I used to use it on products in the past which had different screens, and I still have plenty of Rain-X left (you only use a tiny amount on some cotton wool)

But I'm reluctant to experiment !!!!
 
M

MacClueless

macrumors 6502
Jun 21, 2006
421
312
I agree with Rain-X. Been using it on my phones for years, as well as bathroom mirrors, the glass in picture frames, etc.
 
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