Apple vice president of hardware engineering Tom Marieb recently expressed his distaste for iPhone screen protectors, stating the accessories make his skin crawl. The executive's comments coincide with the debut of Ceramic Shield 2 on the new iPhone 17 lineup.
The new material is featured on the iPhone 18 Pro and the outer display of the iPhone Duo foldable. Apple claims Ceramic Shield 2 offers three times the scratch resistance of the previous version, while the Duo adds a matte finish to its internal screen.
While Apple touts durability, out-of-warranty screen repairs still cost hundreds of dollars. Many users continue to rely on protectors for privacy filtering and glare reduction despite the hardware team's confidence in the latest glass advancements.