iPad Glare free screen? Give me smudge free!

[Shifts]

This will be something which is true also for iPhones, but it bothers me so much more on iPads: Smudges on the screen.

With all amazing hard to break glass screens, with minimum glare, being announced almost every year, I find it odd than no one (?) is focusing on giving a screen material that is smudge free: It is the number one biggest issue I have with my iPad.

For some reason, even if I am mostly using my iPad with the Smart Keyboard attached, the smudges it gets really stands out compared to the iPhone. The iPhone is easier to wipe off with a cloth, and it also normally rubs against the fabric in whatever pocket it resides. The iPad mostly stays attached to the keyboard, and never rubs against any fabric unless I do so intentionally with a cloth.

Also see very few other users complain or mention this. I can hardly be alone with this major annoyance? With all the nano glass structures available, shouldn't there be one which is less prone to smudges?

 

[Geekett]

I agree : those smudges and fingerprints are a big annoyance on my iPad Pro screen.
I’d like a nano AND anti fingerprints screen on next iPads, please !

 

[MacDevil7334]

You’re not alone OP. The iPad collects fingerprints like they’re going out of style. I don’t remember where, but I read sometime back that Apple had to switch to a worse oleophobic coating when it introduced the Apple Pencil. Apparently the coating used on the iPhone (and earlier model iPads) didn’t hold up well to regular contact with the stylus and they needed one that was more durable. With my iPhone, I can usually just wipe it on my shirt and get most fingerprints off and I remember this being the case with my iPad Air 2. With more recent iPads, I have to keep a bottle of Woosh cleaner at my desk and wipe the iPad down every few days. Given the first iPad Pro was introduced 9 years ago, it’s amazing Apple hasn’t made more progress on this issue. The fingerprint situation on the iPad today is almost as bad as it was on the early iPhones before they had oleophobic coatings.

 

[Aka757]

A screen with less smudges would be great. I can’t say it’s a huge annoyance for me, but it would definitely be nice to have. Although I do think it would make more sense to debut on iPhone first.

 

[sk1985]

those antismug coatings always wear off after a month or two.

 

[the future]

The nano texture screen shows way less smudges. So win-win.

 

[rachislenska]

Yes smudges are one of the biggest problems in ipad screen. This time i bought a spiegen tempered glass for m2 ipad Air which was very easy to install. To my surprise its catching much leas smudges than the OG screen. And easier to clean too

 

[Digitalguy]

That's why I alwyas end up getting a matte screen protector for my iPads...
1. antiglare 2. no fingerprints (much less than even the nano texture) 3. better for pencil use (again better than nano texture) 4. protection

The trade-off is some contrast, but given all the advatanges, it becomes necessary for me. So far the only iPad I have not protected is the mini led M1. But I am buying a paperlike for it these days too. I'll probably leave the future M4 unprotected for a while too.

But again fingerprints, even more than glare are the primary reason.

 

[sparksd]

Yes smudges are one of the biggest problems in ipad screen. This time i bought a spiegen tempered glass for m2 ipad Air which was very easy to install. To my surprise its catching much leas smudges than the OG screen. And easier to clean too

The Spigens are nice protectors and easy to install. I ended up removing mine as the increased reflectivity bothered me. But they are much easier to clean.

 

[klasma]

There are capacitive gloves you can use.

 

[rachislenska]

There are capacitive gloves you can use.

Dont give dear TIMMY new ideas. Here comes the apple capacitive gloves. You can clean the iPad and iPhone as you use it.😁 It will cost you just 699$ and made of normal fabric. We think you are going to love it!!!

 

[JamesMay82]

Very true but I have a bigger gripe with laptop screens.

As they aren’t as robust for cleaning as an iPad screen and they pick up marks from the keyboard etc when closed.

 

[iPadified]

It's like complaining about gravity. The skin has a natural protective layer of fat and that will rub off what ever you do unless you use a glove of do not touch the screen. Any coating will degrade over time so learn how to clean your screen.

 

[the future]

That's why I alwyas end up getting a matte screen protector for my iPads...
1. antiglare

Which is a lot better with the nano-texture.

2. no fingerprints (much less than even the nano texture)

Really? Hard to believe because I clean the nano screen exactly once per day and fingerprints are an absolute non-issue.

3. better for pencil use (again better than nano texture)

Yes, if you like the surface extra-grainy and/or write/draw a lot. But the nano texture is certainly already better for pencil use than the regular naked glass.

4. protection

Good point. Nano won‘t give you that.

The trade-off is some contrast

Which is absolutely minimal with the nano-texture during the day and non-existent in low light.

 

[Digitalguy]

Which is a lot better with the nano-texture.

It's better, no doubt. A lot better, I don't agree, but this is subjective.

Really? Hard to believe because I clean the nano screen exactly once per day and fingerprints are an absolute non-issue.

Not my experience when testing the nano, less fingerprints but still fingerprint enough to bother me, might not be an issue with you. But with the screen protector it's zero. No need to clean unless there is dirt.

Yes, if you like the surface extra-grainy and/or write/draw a lot. But the nano texture is certainly already better for pencil use than the regular naked glass.

Agreed

Good point. Nano won‘t give you that.

Not just that unfortuantely. Nano is more fragile (see Jerryrigeverything) than standard glass, scratches more easily, and you generally don't get a protector for the nano.... so the risk is higher than even with no screen protector (in the Apple store someone put an iPad on the other to compare, and the camera scratched the screen with no force applied). That's my biggest issue with the nano.

Which is absolutely minimal with the nano-texture during the day and non-existent in low light.

It's non existent in the dark with the screen protector too. The nano is better than the Paperlike & Co but I don't agree with "absolutely minimal" compared to the regular glass, unless maybeyou watch straight in front of the screen, which improves things with a screen protector too by the way. Anyway, this is subjective too, and each person can form their own opinion by checking the nano at an Apple store, to see if it's minimal for them or not.

 

[aries81]

Amazing hack to fix this issue: quick rub on your sleeve, done.

 

[the future]

It's better, no doubt. A lot better, I don't agree, but this is subjective.

Of course not all screen protectors are the same, but all I have seen are way worse than the nano.

Not my experience when testing the nano, less fingerprints but still fingerprint enough to bother me, might not be an issue with you. But with the screen protector it's zero. No need to clean unless there is dirt.

In my opinion you have to be very sensitive to the issue to see fingerprints on the nano as a problem, but maybe you are/do.

Not just that unfortuantely. Nano is more fragile (see Jerryrigeverything) than standard glass, scratches more easily, and you generally don't get a protector for the nano.... so the risk is higher than even with no screen protector

While this is theoretically true, I doubt many people mis-handle their (very expensive) iPad Pros in a way that the screen will actually be damaged, nano or not.

It's non existent in the dark with the screen protector too.

How can it be? You have a sheet of plastic between your eyes and the content. With the nano, you don‘t.

The nano is better than the Paperlike & Co but I don't agree with "absolutely minimal" compared to the regular glass.

I had the regular M4 pro before getting the nano. Side by side, in regular everyday lighting, you could tell the difference, but barely so. Without the regular glass iPad to compare, you would never notice.

Anyway, this is subjective too, and each person can form their own opinion by checking the nano at an Apple store, to see if it's minimal for them or not.

Axtually, you can‘t. Lighting in an Apple Store is so bright and so artificial that it doesn‘t represent normal usage conditions at all.

 

[Digitalguy]

Of course not all screen protectors are the same, but all I have seen are way worse than the nano.

View attachment 2402926



In my opinion you have to be very sensitive to the issue to see fingerprints on the nano as a problem, but maybe you are/do.

Maybe I am because I am used to matter screen having zero fingerprints, so when I see them I am even more bothered than on standard glass

While this is theoretically true, I doubt many people mis-handle their (very expensive) iPad Pros in a way that the screen will actually be damaged, nano or not.

I do pay a lot of attention to my iPads but things happen. I scratched my screen protector (fortauntely not the screen) and I don't even know how it happened. On the other hand my mini-led without a screen protector fell on the ground face down in the bathroom from 1 meter and fortuantely it didn't scratch, a miracle, I would not be so confident with the nano after what I have seen, that's my number one issue and the main reason I have ruled it out.

How can it be? You have a sheet of plastic between your eyes and the content. With the nano, you don‘t.

I could show you a video in the total dark and you wouldn't know there is a screen protector. Since there is zero light reflecting on the screen protector. But once there is some light things change...

I had the regular M4 pro before getting the nano. Side by side, in regular everyday lighting, you could tell the difference, but barely so. Without the regular glass iPad to compare, you would never notice.

It was way more than barely at the Apple store.

Axtually, you can‘t. Lighting in an Apple Store is so bright and so artificial that it doesn‘t represent normal usage conditions at all.

If you compare with outside sure. But I don't think lights at the store are much worse than what I have at home, and I use my iPads essentially at home.

 

[Analog Kid]

Glare bothers me more with the screen turned on, smudges bother me more with the screen turned off. I use my iPad more with the screen on than I do with it off, so I worry more about glare. The nano-texture screen has been a revelation.

 

[the future]

Well it comes down to this: if you want the least amount of glare, the least amount of contrast loss and significantly reduced fingerprints (and are willing to pay for a 1 TB iPad Pro), nano texture is the way. If you want/need screen protection (and even less fingerprints, apparently) or prefer a grittier surface for writing/drawing with the Pencil, get the regular glass and a screen protector of your choice.