Smartphones have become a normal part of our lives due to their capabilities and adaptions which have made regular tasks a lot more convenient and much easier to accomplish. However, due to their demand and the technology built into them, they can be quite expensive. We want to use things like glass screen protectors to make sure we protect our devices, but some people wonder if the cure is worse than the disease.
Glass screen protectors won’t damage a typical smartphone screen. In fact, they will help protect the phone’s screen from cracking if it gets dropped. But if you have a folding phone, you should avoid using a screen protector.
Most consumers buy things like cases and glass screen protectors as a way of ensuring they get the most out of their phone. However, they can be annoying if used improperly, or if you’ve chosen the wrong protection for your device. For example, you don’t want to use a glass screen protector for a phone that folds, but in most other cases, using a protector won’t hurt your phone for reasons we’ll explore below.
Why a Glass Screen Protector Won’t Damage Your Phone
A glass screen protector like the TORRAS (on Amazon) is designed to keep your phone screen from cracking if it’s dropped. The protector and adhesive have been designed to protect the inner screen, and these protectors are usually very effective. There are plenty of instances where phones have been dropped, and the screen protector itself may have cracked, but underneath, the delicate phone screen remains intact.
When you remove the screen protector, there may be some adhesive leftover, but with some spray or wipes designed for use on electronics, it will come off easily enough. There are rare cases where it may be more challenging to remove, but the vast majority of phones come out perfectly clean after removing a screen protector.
Screen Protectors on Folding Screens
There are some new phones that have come out that fold, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip (on Amazon), for example. While this is an interesting combination of modern smartphones and old flip phones, it does come with some downfalls. The screens fold on these phones and are therefore more fragile than the typical smartphone screen. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip and the new Motorola Razr (on Amazon) are a couple of examples.
Some of these phones have plastic screens, and most screen protectors are designed for glass-on-glass contact. The manufacturers of these folding smartphones recommend not using screen protectors. However, people on YouTube and other social media have used screen protectors on these phones and have had no problem, so it could be just fine to use a screen protector. Since these phones are new, we don’t recommend putting screen protector’s on them because the manufacturer doesn’t recommend it.
The Benefits of a Tempered Glass Screen Protector
Tempered glass screen protectors are the more expensive option, but they tend to do a better job. The companies amFilm and Maxboost offer tempered glass protectors that measure between a seven and an eight on the Mohs hardness scale., which means they should help protect your device even from aggressive wear-and-tear like sliding around in your pocket with a set of keys.
Zagg’s screen protectors are between a five and a six, which they claim is better for protection from the impact of dropping your phone but not as useful for scratch resistance. Ultimately, screen protectors can help protect your phone from impact, but depending on how far the drop is or how hard the surface, your phone screen could still crack on impact. The best option to help protect your phone from drops is a case designed for that purpose.
What are Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Screen Protectors?
PET is a type of plastic that’s found in things like food containers or water bottles. The main benefit of this type of screen protector is the cost. They tend to be the cheapest type of screen protector, and they are thin and light. You don’t notice them as much as the other types of protectors. On the downside, that means they are less effective. Of all the types of protectors, they offer the least amount of scratch-resistance or protection during impact.
What are Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) Screen Protectors?
Thermoplastic polyurethane is a more outdated material for screen protectors. These protectors are made of flexible plastic, but they have a sort of rubbery texture. They are much more difficult to install than other options, and they create an annoying glare. After the difficult installation process, you may still have many bubbles on your phone’s screen, which can be distracting and even a bit irritating.
However, it does have “self-healing” from small scratches, and since it’s flexible, it offers protection on your phone from edge to edge. They are also very affordable, so if you’re willing to put up with the aesthetic issues, like bubbles and glare, they aren’t a bad option. Original iPhone users will remember when such protectors used to be sold by Apple directly right in the store.
Nano Liquid Screen Protectors
Liquid screen protectors sound too good to be true, and in most cases, they are. These claim that you can just put a solution on your phone and buff it, and your phone will be protected. This may save your phone from minor surface scratches, but you’re out of luck if your phone gets scratched worse than that. You also can’t remove these protectors to replace them with a different one.
Conclusion
Although they are more expensive, tempered glass screen protectors are among the best options to protect your phone screen. They protect from deeper scratches and can help prevent your screen from cracking if you drop your phone. Protecting your phone (or your eyes – our guide) from damage is obviously something most of us want to do.
Similar to restarting your phone every once in a while which we’ve previously discussed, this will increase your phone’s lifespan, and if you plan to resell your phone, you can price it higher because there will be no scratches on the screen. Glass screen protectors are more of an investment when you purchase your phone, but they pay off in the long run.