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Watch Screen Coating

D

DavoteK

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 5, 2012
305
50
Noticed an issue with my Apple Watch SS 42mm a few days ago. The screen had a noticeable smudging on the top left and bottom right. Figured it was just smudged, cleaned it and thought nothing of it. Then noticed the same pattern. Cleaned it, then used my index finger to smudge the screen in a vertical movement.

Attached is the before and after and you can see some diagonal streaks across the screen. Watch is about 2 weeks old.

Anyone seen anything like this or have any idea about what could have caused it?

Cheers.
 

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Remember those black clothes that came with the iPhone 3G? Got a load of those types of cloth. Great on iPhone screens. Assumed the same with the watch.
 
That was the plan, all genius appointments booked up for the foreseeable lol
 
id hit it with a clean microfiber cloth (not the one youve been using) and some isopropyl alcohol (91%) - looks like what happens when i clean my camera lens with a dirty cloth
 
I use Zeiss eye glasses individual pre-moistened wipes on mine. Works great and since eye glasses come with all kinds of coatings, I figured that would work best. Mine looks flawless when I clean it. Any eye glasses cleaner would work with preferably a soft eye glass cleaning cloth.

IMO - I wouldn't recommend isopropyl alcohol - that could potentially dissolve any coatings.
 
lclev said:
I use Zeiss eye glasses individual pre-moistened wipes on mine. Works great and since eye glasses come with all kinds of coatings, I figured that would work best. Mine looks flawless when I clean it. Any eye glasses cleaner would work with preferably a soft eye glass cleaning cloth.

IMO - I wouldn't recommend isopropyl alcohol - that could potentially dissolve any coatings.
Click to expand...

Except note that the Zeiss packets do contain isopropyl alcohol. I have a pretty big supply of them. They do work great on lenses.
 
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Issue resolved. Kinda.

Guy approached me in the Apple Store, asked what was up, said I had an issue with the watch screen, he then proceeded to look through his iPad to tell me there are no appointments, but he can book me in for the 27th. So I explained the fact that I've gotta make a 100mile round trip and work quite late most evenings, which went in one ear and out the other.

Anyway, another guy stepped in as I was slowly losing my rag, explained the issue, and he said its supposed to be like that. So a quick a debate on Oleophobic coating and how all Apple Watches with Sapphire displays will end up like the pics in the OP. Only reason I got the Apple Watch instead of the Sport was because of the screen quality, so got a refund. Now considering whether to buy another, a Sport or spend it on something else entirely.

Sad times, already miss it.
 
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Can somebody fill me in on why everybody goes out of their way to get alcohol wipes and eyeglass spray and microfibre fur cloths to clean their screens?

I literally wipe my phone and watch with the inside of my t-shirt for a second or two and its 100% clean. I mean that's what the oleophobic coating is for, right? And hasn't it been shown that using anything with alcohol will shorten the life of the coating?
 
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Ke1ington said:
Can somebody fill me in on why everybody goes out of their way to get alcohol wipes and eyeglass spray and microfibre fur cloths to clean their screens?

I literally wipe my phone and watch with the inside of my t-shirt for a second or two and its 100% clean. I mean that's what the oleophobic coating is for, right? And hasn't it been shown that using anything with alcohol will shorten the life of the coating?
Click to expand...

Yep same here.
 
My SS screen is marked. Went to Apple Store but apparently can happen due to the coating. Can live it but a little annoying that it can mark easily.
 
Yeah, I mean I honestly see nothing wrong with what's pictured.... it looks like a dirty screen from finger grease... that can be wiped off/cleaned with your shirt. Maybe I'm not "seeing" everything correctly, but I really don't know what would be expected of Apple when bringing this in to the store as a "problem." Sorry you're missing your Watch, but it seems like a HUGE nonissue IMO and why you would return it for showing off your finger grease is beyond me
 
I use these on my watch and iPhone 6 screens. They work great and are alcohol-free. A quick wipe off with a microfiber cloth makes the screen look great. Got them at Walmart.
410sUyH6CtL._SY300_.jpg
 
CellXor10 said:
Yeah, I mean I honestly see nothing wrong with what's pictured.... it looks like a dirty screen from finger grease... that can be wiped off/cleaned with your shirt. Maybe I'm not "seeing" everything correctly, but I really don't know what would be expected of Apple when bringing this in to the store as a "problem." Sorry you're missing your Watch, but it seems like a HUGE nonissue IMO and why you would return it for showing off your finger grease is beyond me
Click to expand...

Clean your iPhone screen, using whatever method you deem appropriate. Now use your finger and make vertical lines of finger print smudge. You'll see that the screen is consistently smudged. No diagonal lines through it and every area of the screen will be equally smudged.

That is what I did to the watch as shown in the image in the first post. Its not varied day to day use to get the result it shows. It shows that there is an issue with the screen/coating that will have different consistencies. Every time I flick it up to look at it, I can see the defective screen.

Well, I deem it defective, as I'd expect from a device that costs that much to have a better quality screen, IMO.
 
I'm amazed that people's SS screens are marked. I've given mine such a beating. I've really messed up the case on the top side - big deep scratches, and have smashed the screen into several
DavoteK said:
Clean your iPhone screen, using whatever method you deem appropriate. Now use your finger and make vertical lines of finger print smudge. You'll see that the screen is consistently smudged. No diagonal lines through it and every area of the screen will be equally smudged.

That is what I did to the watch as shown in the image in the first post. Its not varied day to day use to get the result it shows. It shows that there is an issue with the screen/coating that will have different consistencies. Every time I flick it up to look at it, I can see the defective screen.

Well, I deem it defective, as I'd expect from a device that costs that much to have a better quality screen, IMO.
Click to expand...

Mine doesn't do that. I'd want it replaced if it did.
 
DavoteK said:
Noticed an issue with my Apple Watch SS 42mm a few days ago. The screen had a noticeable smudging on the top left and bottom right. Figured it was just smudged, cleaned it and thought nothing of it. Then noticed the same pattern. Cleaned it, then used my index finger to smudge the screen in a vertical movement.

Attached is the before and after and you can see some diagonal streaks across the screen. Watch is about 2 weeks old.

Anyone seen anything like this or have any idea about what could have caused it?

Cheers.
Click to expand...

Looks like fabric softner or laundry detergent smudges. Do you wear long sleeves?
 
perezr10 said:
So...in pic 1 it's clean and in pic 2 you smudged it. I'm not understanding your issue.
Click to expand...

Why be difficult for the sake of being difficult? There's obviously an inconsistency in the coating running diagonally.

Pretty sure Apple will take one look at it and replace it.
 
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