Buying a new cell phone can be an exciting experience, but it can be challenging to navigate the flood of tempting additional security options. Some of the most common products include insurance, coverages and, of course, protective films. The latter has long been touted as an important element of protecting your device investment, but Is it really necessary to continue investing in them?
The cost of a screen protector can vary widely, from a modest $10 to an exorbitant $60. However, this multi-billion dollar industry hides a nasty secret: Advances in the strength of phone glass have led to screen protectors less significant than they were before.
Raymond Soneira, CEO of DisplayMate Technologies, a company dedicated to optimizing phone screens, emphasized in an interview with Gizmodo that screen protectors are not as useful as we are led to believe. In fact, Soneira personally doesn’t use a screen protector, but opts for a case for her cell phone instead. However, he emphasizes that he handles his device very carefully and rarely drops it.
DisplayMate’s research shows that these accessories can make your phone’s screen more reflective, thereby reducing image quality and causing low battery Higher brightness is required to compensate.
However, the mobile phone user community is divided on the usefulness of screen protectors. Carsten Fraunheim, repair engineer at iFixit, acknowledges that these accessories can help prevent scratches and micro-abrasions, although he also admits that their importance has decreased compared to previous years.
According to Fraunheim, “As smartphone glass technology becomes more impact-resistant, screen protectors will lose their ‘drop protection’ value.”
On the other hand, Kyle Vince, CEO of iFixit, criticizes liquid screen protectors, saying they are “snake oil.” disrupt the screen structure. Additionally, the increasing durability of phone glass, especially with the advent of materials such as the ceramic shield used in the Apple iPhone, has led to further questioning of the need for these accessories.
Despite advances and arguments against, the screen protector industry continues to grow and is projected to reach value $85 billion according to Grand View Research, by 2030.
So why is this accessory still popular? The answer can be found in the traumatic experience of breaking a phone screen. Although screen resistance has improved significantly, the process replacement It’s still expensive and tedious. Therefore, many users prefer to exercise caution and purchase screen protectors as a preventative measure to avoid this inconvenience. After all, the cost of a protective film is much less than replacing the entire screen on the device.
Is it time to say goodbye to cell phone security devices? As technology advances and screens become more durable, this accessory may be destined to become relic of the past. For now, however, the decision on whether to protect your phone with a screen protector remains a matter of personal preference and risk tolerance.
Meanwhile, the mobile phone accessories industry will continue to evolve, adapting to new technologies and consumer demands.
Source: Digital Trends
