Yes, a textured screen protector just hides the reflection by spreading it over a wide angle.Exactly. It‘s fine to say that glare isn‘t a problem for you or that you don‘t need 1 TB of storage and thus the nano is too expensive. But people claiming that a conventional matte screen protector has the same effect are either completely unfamiliar with the nano texture or just disingenuous. Because it is not nearly the same.
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The total reflected light is the same, just most misses your eye. The hotspot is less bright, but proportionally wider.
This is different: technically a 'graded-index' layer that actually reduces reflection.
If the light suddenly hits a sudden jump in refractive index from the glass to air or vice-versa, about 8% is reflected.
Enough air is in the porous glass surface to reduce that to a percent or so.
Pen-feel is a by-product.
I don't think the Studio display is different: a chemical process produces physical etching.
The only thing I can think of to make it less fingerprint sensitivite is to back-fill the porosity with a low-index plastic, but that is not easy and will compromise the anti-reflection a lot.
Probably there is an oleophobic oil-repelling treatment. I don't know about durability ...
How is it done? Glass made from an emulsion of mixed etchable and etch-resistant molten glass. See aerogel.
It's a tool for very specific purposes. IIRC Apple recommend it for accurate colour matching.
See also review
Edit: I have now seen Apple's photo or video, presumably under an electron microscope, looking like an array of hexagonal micro lenses.
I am now less sure: is that computer-generated imagery, only slightly representative of the actual nano-texture?
I have put the speculative bits above in italics.
Maybe the Studio display is different? That was definitely "Don't touch!"
The shiny bezel seems to have a blue anti-reflection coating: perhaps it covers the screen, too?
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