Marketing is one thing, but reality is another. Like many of us, I won’t forget FineWoven’s supposedly “durable” microtwill, Apple Maps’ shaky initial launch, or the infamous butterfly keyboard that was supposed to be four times more stable. Remember the AirPower promise? Of course not.
So it’s worth rejoicing when the real-world experience lives up to the hype. And that’s the case with Apple’s Ceramic Shield 2, the latest and arguably best iPhone glass from the tech giant.
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I started by noticing the difference on the Watch, which may not have the Ceramic Shield 2, but a similarly enhanced “Ion-X” display, offering twice the scratch resistance of the Series 10. Apple claims it’s “the toughest glass in the industry.”
In the past, I’d simply had to get used to the fact that previous generations of watches had the kind of hairline micro-scratches that you probably wouldn’t see most of the time, but would be glaringly obvious in direct sunlight or bright, direct light. This time there’s none of that, and it’s not like I’ve done any better not to bang my wrist on furniture or doors!
It’s been years since I’ve had a shattered screen on an iPhone, but I spotted some marks after just a few weeks with my iPhone 16 Pro. It earned a very visible scratch in its first fortnight of use. As the months went by, the micro-abrasions only got worse all over the screen, and I ended up relying on a screen protector to prevent the situation from getting worse. Honestly, the story was the same with the 15 Pro and 14 Pro, and my handset before that was a 13 mini, which ended up looking like “frosted glass” by the time I was done with it.
However, with the launch of the iPhone 17 came Ceramic Shield 2, and it’s starting to look like an even more substantial change than Apple was making it out to be.
More than just marketing
This glass, developed by Apple and tough glass experts at Corning, has a denser nanocrystalline structure and an improved oleophobic coating compared to previous generations of iPhone glass. In testing, JerryRigEverything tortured the iPhone 17 and found that it only had slight marks at level 7 on the Mohs hardness scale. Usually, scratches appear around level 5 or 6.
In my experience, I don’t have to worry about my phone as much anymore. You’ll be able to carry the iPhone 17 in your pockets, even with your keys, and you won’t have to worry too much if it starts to look a lot older than it is. For most people, this probably also means you don’t really need a screen protector.
Speaking of which, testing by Astropad found that using a regular glass screen protector can actually end up canceling out the anti-glare effect on your new iPhone 17. It’s definitely worth thinking about this before spending the extra money on a case. If you buy one, it better be one that has anti-glare properties.
Obviously, think carefully before leaving out protection or doing *the unthinkable* and going without a case altogether. Apple’s new glass is great, but it’s not indestructible. A devastating face-down drop will most likely shatter your iPhone, and sand or quartz will still scratch it, although metal won’t damage it as easily. Planning to bring your phone to the beach? Are you in danger of dropping it on gravel? Or send him tipping into a bowl of diamonds? Don’t skip the screen protector.
That said, for anyone living an unadventurous life, you probably don’t need to keep your iPhone around anymore.
I know your first instinct is to apply glass protector, but that may now be excessive with the latest generation and simply an added expense that you don’t need to bother with. Of course, some scratches may eventually appear, but I don’t see anything like what I was used to, after months of use.
Overall, I found the much more “scratch resistant” Ceramic Shield 2 ended up feeling like a huge upgrade. What this means in real terms is that you won’t notice much damage during everyday use and most of us don’t need a screen protector on these handsets.
And the good news is that, as of last month, Apple no longer sells a smartphone without Ceramic Shield 2. Even the new, affordable iPhone 17e offers great durability with the latest glass, so you can pick up any iPhone in the current lineup and feel a little safer. Credit where credit is due: Apple really delivered on its promises on this one.
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