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Screen Protectors Without AR Coating Cancel Out iPhone 17's Anti-Reflective Display

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The Ceramic Shield 2 material that Apple uses for the iPhone 17 display includes an anti-reflective coating that's designed to cut down on glare. It's a coating that prior-generation iPhone models didn't have, and it can make a difference in bright lighting conditions.

iphone-17-ceramic-shield.jpg

If you're someone who likes to use a screen protector with your iPhone, you might be nullifying the anti-reflective property of the iPhone 17 display, based on testing done by Astropad.

Compared to the iPhone 17, Astropad found that the anti-reflective coating reduces reflections by approximately 50 percent when compared to the iPhone 16, but applying a screen protector without an anti-reflective coating of its own makes the anti-reflective Ceramic Shield 2 coating less effective. According to Astropad, this is because AR coatings are created for direct contact with air, and covering them with an extra layer of material cancels the effect.

Astropad did screen protector testing because it sells Fresh Coat, a screen protector with an anti-reflective coating, and it is promoting Fresh Coat through its testing and report. Astropad says that Fresh Coat and other screen protectors with an anti-reflective coating can replace or even outperform the anti-reflective properties of the iPhone 17's display.
Fresh Coat by Astropad enhances AR clarity on any iPhone, creating a surface nearly 4x less reflective than the display on an iPhone 16 and 2x less reflective than iPhone 17's Ceramic Shield 2.
Click to expand...
Astropad did controlled testing with a light meter, and full testing results can be found on the Astropad website.

Article Link: Screen Protectors Without AR Coating Cancel Out iPhone 17's Anti-Reflective Display
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/12/04/iphone-17-screen-protector-anti-reflective-issue/
Absolutely. I'm eager to try the Astropad screen protector. All other options don't have an anti-reflective coating, which is something reviewers fail to test or mention. It's annoying actually.
 
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I’ve been using the “Dabernur” non-glass screen protector with AR coating from Amazon, three pack for $10. It’s really really good, I like it a lot. The coating is great, even better than apples, and it’s crazy thin you can barely tell it’s there. I don’t like the super thick glass ones.
 
This is an ad designed to look like an actual article. LOL

Honestly, the factory AR isn’t that great compared to other phones on the market. Adding a screen protector didn’t make it any better or worse I found.
 
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grammatica said:
Absolutely. I'm eager to try the Astropad screen protector. All other options don't have an anti-reflective coating, which is something reviewers fail to test or mention. It's annoying actually.
Click to expand...
I got the Astropad screen protector. It was awful. Started cracking and chipping within a couple of weeks with just normal use — like taking the phone out of and returning it to my pocket. It was twice as expensive as the screen protector I got to replace it, and that one is still going strong without any blemishes over a month later.
 
I sprang for the fresh coat when I upgraded my phone this year as an impulse buy… damn I don’t think I can go back. When I pick up my wife’s phone with the usual basic glass screen protectors on it, there is so much noticeable glare. The finger feel and smudge resistance are pretty excellent as well.
 
RockTheGlobe said:
I got the Astropad screen protector. It was awful. Started cracking and chipping within a couple of weeks with just normal use — like taking the phone out of and returning it to my pocket. It was twice as expensive as the screen protector I got to replace it, and that one is still going strong without any blemishes over a month later.
Click to expand...
Yeah, mine cracked within a week too as you said without any drops or anything. It’s been fine otherwise. I followed up with them over it and they sent me a replacement.
 
both my unit and a LOT of others in store seem to have an issue with said coating, as the light refracts everywhere , with some sort of a (green) halo. my screen is also pretty rough to the touch and kind of painful to use at times, which makes me think it's the oleophobic coating

I was tired and didn't want to go through an exchange. guess my only solution now, given that apple most likely won't aknolwedge it, is that I should break my screen and use ac+, at the risk of getting a panel that's less uniform. eh
 
I'm keen to learn about how reflectivity is measured. The AR coating on the new phones seems mediocre at best - definitely not what it was hyped up to be.
 
Only screen protector I use is the Zagg privacy screen. The iPhone 17 version is so much better than the 13 mini one I had from them. 360° privacy and really really good at combatting grease and fingerprints.
But yeah, it really affects the always on display. It’s kinda hard to see it with this protector on so I’m thinking I’ll turn it off altogether to save those slivers of battery.
 
This is the first year I didn't use a screen protector on the Air. And I put it in my pocket (without anything else) and so far the screen is still pristine, not micro scratches yet. So CS2 might be good after-all. I was already starting to feel like screen protectors were becoming a huge waste of money.
 
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RockTheGlobe said:
I got the Astropad screen protector. It was awful. Started cracking and chipping within a couple of weeks with just normal use — like taking the phone out of and returning it to my pocket. It was twice as expensive as the screen protector I got to replace it, and that one is still going strong without any blemishes over a month later.
Click to expand...
Wow. So you took it out of your pocket and it chipped? Didn’t get that experience, here my take on Astropad:

I bought Astropad twice, the screen protector ‘fresh coat’ looks very clean and glides well on the finger, and it does a great job doing what it advertises.

But both times, I dropped my phone once or twice, the screen protector cracked or chipped - then a hairline crack appeared through the entire screen protector.

These Astropads only come with ONE screen protector per $34.99!!! That means everytime I drop my phone, boom - a chip then slowly a distracting hairline crack - another $34.99. You’ll probably end up spending $150 on screen protectors of your like me and just can’t stand damaged screen protectors and insist on putting a fresh one on.

Go to alibaba or aliexpress, and get a ‘AR / AF screen protector’ for a fraction of the cost.

Astropad is not manufacturing some secret proprietary material.
There is no world where Astropad owns a vacuum deposition lab to conduct tests. They’re almost certainly buying AR-coated tempered glass from an OEM in Shenzhen.

Also Macrumors loves promoting Astropad, as if they are the only company that sells these
 
kalafalas said:
I’ve been using the “Dabernur” non-glass screen protector with AR coating from Amazon, three pack for $10. It’s really really good, I like it a lot. The coating is great, even better than apples, and it’s crazy thin you can barely tell it’s there. I don’t like the super thick glass ones.
Click to expand...
I’ve never understood the purpose of a screen protector. I’ve never had a scratch or messed up screen that a piece of film would have protected

I’ve had iPhone since the original iPhone up to the 17 that I’m using now. I do have a case because I have occasionally dropped and cracked screens. But no screen protector is going to do anything when glass plus film meets pavement
 
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grammatica said:
All other options don't have an anti-reflective coating, which is something reviewers fail to test or mention. It's annoying actually.
Click to expand...
What? You can pick up anti-reflective glass for iPhones and iPads all over Temu, Ali & Amazon. I have them for both my iPhone & iPad. Even the 4 way privacy glass does that.

No research required or a company marketing its wares.
 
Johnstrass2 said:
I do have a case because I have occasionally dropped and cracked screens. But no screen protector is going to do anything when glass plus film meets pavement
Click to expand...
Absolute nonsense.

I’ve seen phones all the time at work with broken glass shields, where the phone has been dropped and only the shield breaks and NOT the actual phone glass.
 
Johnstrass2 said:
I’ve never understood the purpose of a screen protector. I’ve never had a scratch or messed up screen that a piece of film would have protected

I’ve had iPhone since the original iPhone up to the 17 that I’m using now. I do have a case because I have occasionally dropped and cracked screens. But no screen protector is going to do anything when glass plus film meets pavement
Click to expand...
I scratch the living **** out of my phone screens. I regularly put my phone in a bag with keys and zippers and other things, and also regularly have had it fall to the ground and scrape across pavement esp at festivals and shows where I don’t have pockets. I’m not that careful with it. I tried to go protector-less for the first time on my 15 pro and the screen ended up crazy scratched. I usually resell my phones on Craigslist instead of trade in (not only do I get more money, I feel better knowing the phone is getting a second life) so it’s better if the screen is in good condition.

Although I agree, it won’t help my screen not get shattered, that’s what the case is for. Which is why I’m fine with the thin film as I am only looking for scratch protection.
 
I've never cracked a screen because I've always used a case. I've never seen the point of a screen protector and never liked the look and feel with others phone with them. Granted I have seen scratches on the phones screen but never really was an issue for me.
 
You can get an ESR 3 pack on Amazon with AR coating for $19.99 and they’re great. This article is just marketing nonsense BS.
 
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