Are there any iPhone screen protectors that aren't crap?

S

ScottSwing

Gawd
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Jun 9, 2010
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It seems they all have complaints of stickiness, scratching, or peeling. Do any iPhone 4 protectors actually work?
 
Your reasons are precisely why I honestly don't see the point of those things.

Why not just replace the screen when it gets scratched badly enough?
 
I never used a screen protector on my 3gs and am not planning to on my iPhone 4 either. I dont really see the need.
 
I used to use the Anti-Glare one from the apple store when I had my 3G. Worked great, didnt scratch or peel. However over a period of a month or two the surface would get worn out and then feel kind of oily so you would have to replace it. But it was the best screen protector I have ever tried. Not sure if they make it for the new iPhone but I will check tomorrow when I go buy a case and screen protector for my iPhone 4.
 
powersupport films--comes out july 26: the clear one is amazingly the best
 
AVT said:
Why not just replace the screen when it gets scratched badly enough?
Click to expand...
The screen is fairly expensive and not the least bit easy to replace. Replacing it essentially entails removing every component from the phone and reassembling it around the new display.

Not for the faint of heart.
 
Zagg "invisibleSHIELD" has worked great for me. I have had one on my 3G for about two years and I have one on my 4. I will confess I paid extra at the mall kiosk booth for it to be installed. I won't say its perfect, but it is far and away better than anything else I have used.
 
Sardaan said:
Zagg "invisibleSHIELD" has worked great for me. I have had one on my 3G for about two years and I have one on my 4. I will confess I paid extra at the mall kiosk booth for it to be installed. I won't say its perfect, but it is far and away better than anything else I have used.
Click to expand...
I'm reading that it's stickier than the main display. Any issues with scrolling or precision tasks?
 
BodyGuardz. Very similar to Zagg but better IMO. I think BodyGuardz has better cuts most of the time.

http://www.techislands.com/Reviews/.../bodyguardz-iphone-4-full-body-protector.html

I don't know about sticky, it has a bit more grip to it, but still is very smooth to use for dragging your finger around. I think it makes the sides feel more secure as well when holding it.

I have used a ton of screen protector products (literally tons) including Zagg, Boxwave, JavoEdge, and many more. BodyGuardz is my favorite by far.
 
After using the Invisible Shield, I eschewed all protectors, as nothing felt as good as my finger(s) on the glass. The IS was Too sticky.
 
Love the invisible shield. Currently using it on my iphone 4 just fine.
 
I've got the InvisibleShield and indeed it is a bit sticky. Will the surface polish itself over time?

I also got a cheap 99 cent protector from ebay that I'll probably use first.
 
I've always hated the tackiness that Zagg/BSE have on the front covers of my iPhones. I think they're great for the back and sides though. For the front, I recommend SGP: link. I have the Ultra Clear on mine right now, and it is incredibly clear (most people can't even tell that I have a screen protector on).
 
Sardaan said:
Zagg "invisibleSHIELD" has worked great for me. I have had one on my 3G for about two years and I have one on my 4. I will confess I paid extra at the mall kiosk booth for it to be installed. I won't say its perfect, but it is far and away better than anything else I have used.
Click to expand...

I used it for awhile but sent it back. Along with the "stickyness" it also looked like an orange peal when looked at at an angle. Also, I think people think it's sticky compared to it w/o because w/o feels so much smoother, even more than the older models.
 
AVT said:
Your reasons are precisely why I honestly don't see the point of those things.

Why not just replace the screen when it gets scratched badly enough?
Click to expand...

WTF? seriously?

you buy a screen protector, and use it til it gets beat to shit.

then you...BUY A NEW SCREEN PROTECTOR! tada! brand new looking screen for 1/10th of the price of replacing the glass...


I've used bestskinsever.com skins and they were good, but they had that orange peel look to em. very durable though and hard to scratch. These were also a little more sticky than the screen which was annoying at first, but I got used to it quickly.
Then I picked up a pack of the crystal skins from the apple store (I forget the brand, sorry. It was in a green flat package) and that was great. it reacted to scratches much like the regular screen would, but you can peel it off and put a new one on...
 
Check out the Power Support Anti-Glare films, ive had mine on my iPhone 3g for about a year and a half now and it still is holding up fine. It gives it the feel of a textured touch pad and reduces glare.
 
using bestskinsever on my iphone 4.
it has the 'orange peel' effect but when on flawlessly and isn't very sticky to the touch.
 
the zagg is grippy at first, you need to let your oils 'lubricate' the film, it gets better to the point of almost not noticing it. I made the mistake of wiping the film with cleaner and it was grippy again.
 
86 5.0L said:
the zagg is grippy at first, you need to let your oils 'lubricate' the film, it gets better to the point of almost not noticing it. I made the mistake of wiping the film with cleaner and it was grippy again.
Click to expand...

I can confirm that the Zagg shield gets very smooth after a bit of use. I just wipe it with a damp paper towel to remove build up dirt and use the cloth that came with the shield to remove finger prints. Best screen protection out there IMO.
 
I highly recommend Ghost Armor. I like the product and I have it put on by my local Best Buy. It is a bit more than ordering it online, but comes with a LIFETIME warranty.

If it ever peels or whatever, just take it back to Best Buy and they'll do it again. I have had one on my 3G and looks and feels great.
 
I've applied BodyGuardz (iphone 4) and Invisible Shield (3G)
1. With the screen off, both have orange peel. The BG has slightly less. This is after a 24 hour cure time.

2. With the screen on, I can't see any orange peel using the BG. I don't have the phone using IS right now, but I remember it was only slightly noticeable. I didn't consider it a problem on a 3G, but the screen's pixels are much more of a distraction than the IS.

3. Applying the BG was much easier. When installing you can move the BG much easier than the IS. Yes, I followed directions and both are wet when installing.

4a. The IS uses a sheet of material and the manufacturer pressed/stamped the outlines of the screen protector. On the IS, make sure you remove the screen protectors from the larger sheet of screen material BEFORE you un-peel the screen protectors. These outlines were not cut very well and I was forced to pull much harder than I wanted to in order to separate the screen protectors. Pulling on this material too hard will cause stretching.

4b. The BG protectors are already pre-cut, making un-peeling very easy.

I've been trying to use the BG with an Incipio rubber case, but the case will cause the edges of the screen protector to lift and bubble. I tried multiple techniques, but the results are always the same. I think that the case's edges the meet the screen should cover just a little bit more of the screen. This would ensure that the case goes over the screen protector.

The IS seems to much more sticky and may not have this problem. I don't have a rubber case for the 3G and I can't test this. I had a IS on the rear of 3G for 2 years and removing it took moderate effort (which is a very good thing).

Still looking for a better case. I will probably take off the BG screen protector and get a Power Support version. I used to use a static-cling screen protector on a 3G and the install was easy, no air bubbles, and was very rigid meaning it would not peel or lift when using a rubber case. I don't remember if it was from Power Support, but PS seems like a sure bet.
 
I bought a 99 cent screen protector from ebay and it looks and performs much better than the InvisibleShield that I paid 20 times as much for.
The InvisibleShiled is cut only very approximately to the iPhone's shape, is much less transparent, more difficult to install, and feels sticky to the touch.

Oh well. :(
 
I used the regular power support film on my iphone and it was awesome. couldn't even tell it was on there, and stuck with static or something like that...no sticky stuff on the screen. I had the anti-glare one too but didn't really care for that one.
 
I just installed my BodyGuardz and I can tell I like it more than my old invisible shield on the 3g.

The bubbles are all gone after a day of cure time. I got the full protector, the sides and back were just as easy to apply.
 
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