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YES, Screen protectors are needed

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Small White Car said:
Photogdave said:
It's deep! It would have shattered the screen
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I'm sorry, but I can't bring myself to believe that a force that would have shattered the glass was somehow absorbed by a thin sheet of plastic.

It's nice that your phone was ok, but I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it would have survived this fall without the screen protector.
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Maybe he has diamond carpets. Man that would be painful to walk on barefoot...
 
MsBeauty said:
are you sure??? I think all iphones are using gorilla glass!!
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Holy crap we don't need another one of these arguments....

no one knows whether or not the iPhone 4s or 4 uses gorilla glass. no its not listed on gorilla glass's website, but they also say they do not list every device that uses their product.

No one official has said yes or no, so the only thing you can conclude is that its good glass on the phone.

argument over before it began... DONE
 
I don't have one on my work iPhone and i really like the feel of the glass. I have one on my personal iPhone and very tempted to take it off.
 
All I gotta say is a screen protector will scratch much easier than the phone's front glass so really that is no proof the glass would have scratched.

And when my roommate had to replace the digitizer on his 3G, we had fun trying to scratch the old glass front (since you had to replace that anyways) and a screwdriver couldn't do it, a pen couldn't do it, we had to get sandpaper to do it and it took some work.

I have yet to have scratches on my iphone 4 (have had the current one for almost a year, and had one that got replaced due to a home button for almost a year) and I don't put a protector on the glass. To be fair I do put a case on it, but one of them did slide across a concrete floor after I dropped it getting out of my car and got no scratches either (Though it could be argued the lip of the protector lifted the screen up enough to keep it from contact with the concrete ground).

Oh, and i'm sure the 4 doesn't use Gorilla glass but some other wannabe tough glass (similar I have heard but not the same brand technically). But... it does not use it for the back, just the front (Don't ask me why not the back. If you are going to make a phone out of glass and at least use tough glass on one side, why not the other as well? Especially the other side that you were replacing a material that woudl have been tougher than regular glass if you just used it).
 
I got my first iPhone (4) and immediately left on family trip to Cali where it got regular use without a screen protector including lots of time in bottom of purse and/or pockets. Upon returning home, I noticed a couple of hairline scratches on screen; thus I decided I will never be without a screen protector. The screen can/does scratch in normal use.
 
koigirl said:
I got my first iPhone (4) and immediately left on family trip to Cali where it got regular use without a screen protector including lots of time in bottom of purse and/or pockets. Upon returning home, I noticed a couple of hairline scratches on screen; thus I decided I will never be without a screen protector. The screen can/does scratch in normal use.
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I'd rather have a couple of hairline scratches on my iPhone than have a screen protector on it. They just don't look and feel very good in my opinion.
 
I dont use screen protectors... I believe the glass is harder than the screen protector material... I put my iphone in my pocket all the time... and no scratches so far
 
ixodes said:
Apples Oleophobic coating resists fingerprints better than any protector. It's incredibly scratch resistant as well.

I carry mine without a case or covered screen at all times. Just drop it in my pocket. Years later, I've never experienced even the slightest of scratches.

It's just a phone. I relax & enjoy mine.

If I were to drop it, scratch it or break it... The good news is it's easily replaceable.

I've saved plenty by not buying cases, protectors or insurance. Enough to easily cover the cost of a new one.
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I touch my screen with finger=fingerprint. Touch the matte protector, no fingerprint.
And the glare issue.
To each their own.
 
touchmonkey said:
I touch my screen with finger=fingerprint. Touch the matte protector, no fingerprint.
And the glare issue.
To each their own.
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Apple states in the user manual that the screen coating is not permanent and that it will wear off with use.

I did notice that screen protectors resisted fingerprints more than the bare screen did but i'm still using mine with no protector on the 4S.
 
iceterminal said:
I want to make sure I got this right.
If fell so lightly, onto a soft carpeted floor, so softly that you couldn't even hear it.
Yet, you believe that created a huge scratch on it. And that only your thin flimsy piece of plastic saved it from shattering?

Is this correct?

What in the hell kind of carpet do you have that so soft you can't hear anything hitting it, but still scratches gorilla glass?
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OK. So you didn't read my comment. This is usual on forums. You don't read the whole statement and then respond

A quote from my OP
"It hit the floor and rolled over against the sharp steel bracket under the recliner. I didnt even know that was under there."

Thats how this big gash was put in the protector. Not the carpet dummy.

----------
Kilo said:
The physics of what happened does not make sense.

Also 3 screen protectors for $15 is not cheap.
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Read post again until you get it.....THE WHOLE POST
 
OK, this is the OP.
I'm not going to quote all of the idiots that responded, but I'm gonna thank the many that did chime in to bring some sort of a reality check to those living in troll world or a world where every letter is taken so literally.
I was busy and had not opened this forum since that day.
I had no idea so many idiots were abound.
Thanks to those that made an attempt in making sense of my OP.;)

So, start here.
I love the bare iPhone. I really do. I wish I didn't have to cover the White 4s I bought. The glass is amazing. I love the feel, the coating how it resists finger prints much better than the protectors. It was nice using it without one for a day.
But reality is this. Its very slippery on back. So if you set it on arm rest of a couch, it will end up on floor.....a lot.
It happened to me the first night. Its a pain.
Also, I feared the camera lens would eventually be scratched due to being (felt) flush with back glass. So setting backside down on restaurant tables would eventually damage it
No I don't have an Otter-box. I felt that was over kill, but I bought a plastic case that has a kickstand and it came with a holster. I felt the raised edge on front would provide a bit of protection in event something happened.

Ive never dropped phones before. But I'm not perfect like some of the gods in here. So my record was shattered that night. Sorry.

Yes, I know you can find scratches on any screen under right light and angle.
Those I don't care about. But the gash that was in the film, was deep and would definitely scratched or chips the screen in which I couldn't afford.

I get that in most cases its not needed. Ive had them on all of my other phones and never one time "needed" it.
But this time it helped.
Listen my OP was to help those on the fence decide if the protectors do anything in event of a drop etc.
It did without doubt. The pic doesn't do it justice. It was bad!
But my screen was fine thanks to the protector.

This post didn't require a bunch of jerks with no life to get on here and clutter information for others.
To whoever made the Swifer comment. Really? REALLY?
Again, get a life. That wasn't dust. Its the way the light was reflecting the
paint and texture on the desk. Thats an Aluminum Monitor Base.

Guys, get a life. Sad some of your lives are so bankrupt and pathetic you gotta troll iPhone boards and see if you can pick apart every word in a statement just to argue with it.
If you don't feel the need for one....DON'T USE IT
I never said you must use one. It was just to share my experience with someone questioning it.
 
Photogdave said:
OK. So you didn't read my comment. This is usual on forums. You don't read the whole statement and then respond

A quote from my OP
"It hit the floor and rolled over against the sharp steel bracket under the recliner. I didnt even know that was under there."

Thats how this big gash was put in the protector. Not the carpet dummy
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Seriously?? You wait a month to respond to a response of your OP. really? And then you lower your IQ and start with kindergarten name calling?
Wow.
 
iceterminal said:
Seriously?? You wait a month to respond to a response of your OP. really? And then you lower your IQ and start with kindergarten name calling?
Wow.
Click to expand...

Yes a month. And to the guy before you that said i need counseling....LOL really?
I was gone a month cause I have a life and a job.
I don't troll message boards everyday like some people.
I got on here yesterday to look at new iOS update and iTunes update info and to look at iPad 3 stuff.
I saw a notification and message from a reader on that thread.
So I responded.
I didn't feel I had to respond to every post in that thread
I posted it as a general piece of info on screen protectors benefits. Not to get into a daily debate with a bunch of idiots.
Go to work guys or get a life, Im done here.
 
Wow, I dunno why, but I actually read thru this thread, and I wish I hadn't now. I feel like I've lost so many brain cells in the last few minutes... :(
 
Photogdave said:
Yes a month. And to the guy before you that said i need counseling....LOL really?
I was gone a month cause I have a life and a job.
I don't troll message boards everyday like some people.
I got on here yesterday to look at new iOS update and iTunes update info and to look at iPad 3 stuff.
I saw a notification and message from a reader on that thread.
So I responded.
I didn't feel I had to respond to every post in that thread
I posted it as a general piece of info on screen protectors benefits. Not to get into a daily debate with a bunch of idiots.
Go to work guys or get a life, Im done here.
Click to expand...

I stick by my "needs counseling" opinion.
 
No doubt that kind of accident on your iPhone makes you worried, OCD or heart broken.

But I doubt that you should be thankful on your screen protector. I have been an iOS user (2 gens of iPod Touch, and then iPhone 4S) for almost 3 years now. None of them ever have any kind of scratch on the screen, oh yeah they fall like 3 4 times, one was a hard fall. But none of them scratch the screen. Ever

On my first days with iPhone, of course I was so paranoid, it's an expensive item compared to 2 iPods I owned earlier. I got it for free along with iPhone purchase, a decent SGP Steinheil Ultraclear protector (they said it's one of the best, right?) and guess what.. it never falls, but within 2 weeks of usage, dragged and carried around on my pocket (always in a dedicated pocket of course, no keys, coin whatsoever), screen protector show these little scratches, spread within its surface. And so I removed it. Super annoying.

Now I'm on my 4th month with my almost-naked iPhone (I use SGP skinguard on the back), and the screen is just stainless, smooth and looks great as it is.

So while you should be grateful that your iPhone is okay from that fall, I still don't think it is the screen protector that save your iPhone screen. It's because plastic screen protector will never be hard enough to resist that kind of friction, thus it is scratched. Same thing wont happen if it applied to the glass directly, unless of course you try deliberately hard to scratch it.

Like I said, even a cheaper iPod touch use the same hardened screen glass as an iPhone (minus oleophobic coating, of course) and during my possessions, it's doing just fine.

Each to their own of course, but I personally wouldn't worry about it.
 
Interstella5555 said:
I
have owned
three iPhones
none of which I
have used screen
on, all of which I've
dropped multiple
times on every
thing from
carpet
to concrete
and beyond small
scratchs (which really
just show that you actually
use your phone) they are all
in pristine condition. I guess if
it keeps me from typing like
this I'll keep doing it.


Also, what's the need to use LOL as punctuation?
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Is that a haiku
 
wordoflife said:
No, they aren't necessary.
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actually they are...the screen is not scratch "proof", scratch resistant maybe.
I never got a screen protector for my ip4, always made sure I put in my pocket with nothing else in there, and never layed it down on hard surfaces but after a year the screen had numerous scratches on it. I am assuming these got there from it interacting with what ever dust, dirt, etc was in my pocket while carrying it in there.
 
glocke12 said:
actually they are...the screen is not scratch "proof", scratch resistant maybe.
I never got a screen protector for my ip4, always made sure I put in my pocket with nothing else in there, and never layed it down on hard surfaces but after a year the screen had numerous scratches on it. I am assuming these got there from it interacting with what ever dust, dirt, etc was in my pocket while carrying it in there.
Click to expand...

You should read the rest of the posts on the first page...
 
I always use a protector on the back, just due to sitting it on the desk, car console, etc...

No more screen protectors though.
 
Photogdave said:
So, start here.
I love the bare iPhone. I really do. I wish I didn't have to cover the White 4s I bought. The glass is amazing. I love the feel, the coating how it resists finger prints much better than the protectors. It was nice using it without one for a day.
But reality is this. Its very slippery on back. So if you set it on arm rest of a couch, it will end up on floor.....a lot.
Click to expand...
Try a bumper. This is why they exist. No more sliding. Very little impact to the "look" or feel. Also gives better shock absorbing to the corners, and since the glass is on the outside in the 4, every edge is a "corner".
 
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