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iPhone 8/Plus iPhone 8 plus screen scratches

Bought my 8 Plus Tuesday and the very same day noticed a small vertical scratch next to the home button. I hope it’s just the oleophobic coating.

My 4 year old 5s has zero scratches on the front and never had to use a screen protector (I hate those. Make your phone look like trash).
 
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DCIFRTHS said:
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I use canned air to remove dust from my iPhone and iPad.
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Depending on how you use it, you can wind up just blowing dirt, dust and general crap into the phone. A small vac or vac attachment is a better idea around any openings in the case.
 
Sorig said:
Bought my 8 Plus Tuesday and the very same day noticed a small vertical scratch next to the home button. I hope it’s just the oleophobic coating.

My 4 year old 5s has zero scratches on the front and never had to use a screen protector (I hate those. Make your phone look like trash).
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Its likely just the oleophobic coating as you mentioned. If it's a very light, superficial scratch that can only be observed based on certain lighting, that's likely all it is. It could have happened from the factory as well. But I agree, screen protectors are not for me either.
 
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Same here. I’ve had many iPhones from 3GS onwards, dropped them on concrete, gravel etc but only showing scratches after a year or two. My 8 plus is showing scratches after only a few weeks
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Relentless Power said:
Its likely just the oleophobic coating as you mentioned. If it's a very light, superficial scratch that can only be observed based on certain lighting, that's likely all it is. It could have happened from the factory as well. But I agree, screen protectors are not for me either.
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If it’s the coating will it disappear over time ? Mine are the same....only noticeable in harsh lighting and/or at certain angles. Just annoying as I keep my phone away from keys etc. Must be a spec of grit or something ☹️
 
seeforyourself said:
Hello guys, how are you?


So I purchased my phone exactly a week ago today on launch day, and I’ve noticed that this phone has 1 major problem, screen scratching.

I’ve had my iPhone SE without a case/screen protector for over a year, and it never had scratches on its screen. I’ve even dropped the iPhone as a ton of times and it had no scratches on the screen itself.

_


My iPhone 8 plus though, has had a TON of scratches ALL over the display even before I’ve dropped it the first and only time. There are scratches running across the display and swirl scratches all over it, but the aluminum rimming is in mint condition.

I now know this iPhone needs a screen protector because it is VERY vulnerable to scratches as oppose to the SE. I thought this display was supposed to be more scratch resistant compared to my old phone, but it’s not in my situation.


I have to exchange this phone anyways, due to the fact that it sounds like crackling noise when I make phone calls (the common issue that a lot of people are facing with) so I will buy a protector on the new iphone .


But is anyone else noticing this too? I’m going to post a pic of my iPhone 8 plus screen and then my SE screen.
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Same issue here! I've had my iphone 8 plus without screen protector for about 2 weeks and I already got 5 to 10 visible scratches on it! I'm going to buy a screen a protector....
 
I have had every iPhone since #3 and have always treated them with care. I don’t like cases and I don’t like screen protectors. Based on them only being in my pocket or on my desk I have NEVER had an issue with screen scratches. This new iPhone 8+ is NOT of the same caliber. After a few months the screen is COVERED in scratches, some of them pretty deep. I am confident that this glass is defective. There is no way that I am using this phone in such a way that it should be scratched. Period.
 
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Davidmcbee said:
I have had every iPhone since #3 and have always treated them with care. I don’t like cases and I don’t like screen protectors. Based on them only being in my pocket or on my desk I have NEVER had an issue with screen scratches. This new iPhone 8+ is NOT of the same caliber. After a few months the screen is COVERED in scratches, some of them pretty deep. I am confident that this glass is defective. There is no way that I am using this phone in such a way that it should be scratched. Period.
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Have you contacted Apple about your situation? If you’re using your iPhone caseless and without a screen protector and you are carrying it in your pocket, it’s also possible that there’s debris inside your pocket they can scratch the display. I’m not saying that your display has been abused, but the scratches could also be part of the oleophobic coating.
 
I have always used screen protectors on my phones, and that's 3G, 4, 4s, 5, 5s, 6 Plus, 7 Plus, and my old work 5c. This time round as I was on the Apple Upgrade program, I decided to go without (I was on the program for my 7 plus and paid for the Belkin protector in-store when signing up). I have a very light vertical scratch up half the screen. I need to shine a bright light on the phone and tilt it at some weird angle to see it, so not visible at all in normal use. I think being on the upgrade program, knowing it doesn't matter when I hand it back in 6 months, has chilled me out over it all.
 
I don't think that the iPhone X (I didn't use the 8 for long enough) is any more susceptible to scratches than the 6, 6S, 7 were. Like RP said many times, it's the coating getting scratched, not the glass (not that it makes a difference). The scratches are not really visible unless the screen is off and a very bright light is shone on the phone.

This brings me to the issue of screen protectors - I can't stand them. Yes, scratches bother me, but not nearly as much as a piece of extraneous glass which my fingers cross every time I swipe the screen (even more pronounced on the X), the increased smudging due to the lack of coating (many say they have it, they don't), and, most importantly, the added air gap between the two pieces of glass which inevitably reduces the display quality (if you say it doesn't, you simply don't have the eye to notice it - just like some people swore there is no stutter with 3D touch activation in iOS 11).
 
Relentless Power said:
Have you contacted Apple about your situation? If you’re using your iPhone caseless and without a screen protector and you are carrying it in your pocket, it’s also possible that there’s debris inside your pocket they can scratch the display. I’m not saying that your display has been abused, but the scratches could also be part of the oleophobic coating.
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I do not use a screen protector. I have NEVER used a screen protector on any of my iPhones and I have never experienced scratches like these. And yes, I took it into Apple and they said “if you’re not using a screen protector and you put the phone in your pocket, that is considered abuse.” Seriously? Are you kidding me? If the phone was designed to NEED a screen protector to be kept in one’s pocket then it should come with a screen protector!

So, since they call that abuse, they were unwilling to help me. Let me say this again. I am not using this phone any differently than any of my previous FIVE iPhones but it is reacting differently to the exact same conditions and handling. I call BS on my so-called “abuse” and truly believe that I have bad glass (or coating). Note: I bought my wife’s iPhone 8+ the same day. She keeps it in her purse with no screen protector and her glass is still perfect.
 
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Davidmcbee said:
I do not use a screen protector. I have NEVER used a screen protector on any of my iPhones and I have never experienced scratches like these. And yes, I took it into Apple and they said “if you’re not using a screen protector and you put the phone in your pocket, that is considered abuse.” Seriously? Are you kidding me? If the phone was designed to NEED a screen protector to be kept in one’s pocket then it should come with a screen protector!.
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As I mentioned before, those scratches that you’re referring to could be reflective of the oleophobic coating having a defect. But I can’t attest to how you handle your phone regardless of what you say.

Screen protectors are optional. They are not mandatory to protect any display, obviously they serve their purpose in adding protection. That said, I don’t think Apple should include a screen protector with any iPhone, because that just would raise the cost of the iPhone. I also have never used a screen protector and my displays are near perfect. Which again, could be indicative that you have a defect with the oleophobic coating OR it was not applied appropriately from the factory.

Davidmcbee said:
So, since they call that abuse, they were unwilling to help me. Let me say this again. I am not using this phone any differently than any of my previous FIVE iPhones but it is reacting differently to the exact same conditions and handling. I call BS on my so-called “abuse” and truly believe that I have bad glass (or coating). Note: I bought my wife’s iPhone 8+ the same day. She keeps it in her purse with no screen protector and her glass is still perfect.
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My suggestion is perhaps go back to the Apple Store for a second opinion, explain your situation and that it could be a defect with the oleophobic coating. Then explore your options. That said, if you decide to go back to the Apple Store, don’t go with a negative attitude, as that will not help you at all. Apple has been known to help customers in the past, but obviously every Apple store is different. But being that you not owned this iPhone that long, perhaps they can look further into your situation. But in the same respect, I do understand Apples stance being that you don’t use any protection at all, and They can’t attest to how you treat your iPhone on a daily basis, even though I’m willing to believe what you say.
 
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iPhone 8 here, 2 weeks old, babied like no other phone, today I see a scratch. I've never put my phone face down, never dropped it etc.

Had SE prior, 2 years, not a single scratch, so yes, the iPhone 8 glass is definitely lower quality.
 
Same thing I experienced with my 7 Plus last year and now my X.

I always go caseless, however I baby the phones and the usage/storing the phones has never changed since the original iPhone. Yet I am seeing more and more very minor scratches on the screen glass, especially with my 7 Plus last year and now the X. I cannot feel the scratches, but they are definitely there and visible when reflecting sunshine/indoor lamps in the screen area.
 
Stanick said:
iPhone 8 here, 2 weeks old, babied like no other phone, today I see a scratch. I've never put my phone face down, never dropped it etc.

Had SE prior, 2 years, not a single scratch, so yes, the iPhone 8 glass is definitely lower quality.
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If your iPhone 8 is two weeks old, you may have scratched the oleophobic coating and not the actual display.
 
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I think the new ion x glass is based on Corning GG5 and it is known that GG5 is softer (for improved shatter resistance) but it's more scratch prone.
 
seeforyourself said:
I had to do weird angles because my SE can’t focus on the screen perfectly.


9b444e334186263334ac5fa423c157b4.jpg


This is the SE. no scratches whatsoever
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Your SE looks bigger then mine
 
All y'all hating on screen protectors have never used a good one. Know how I know? You'd have nothing to complain about if you had.

When I say a good one, I mean a good edge to edge protector for curved glass phones, or in the cases of iPads or non-curved phones, something like a PowerSupport Crystal Film that you truly cannot even see unless you REALLY look for it.

Seriously, with a GOOD product, installed correctly, you would never, ever know the difference. Feel, clarity, smoothness, oleophobic coating, etc - all the same.

I've never understood why people care about scratches in the glass but not scratches in the oleophobic coating - once either one is scratched, it's scratched so the two may as well be the same thing. I've yet to see someone actually attempt to restore the oleophobic coating with an Amazon kit, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say it would turn out awful. We all know the glass is hard and unlikely to actually scratch, those of us with screen protectors are basically just keeping the oleophobic coating intact.

I will agree though, any protector that isn't edge to edge is just garbage.
 
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puma1552 said:
those of us with screen protectors are basically just keeping the oleophobic coating intact.
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The oleophobic coating that we will never make use of in practice because of the screen protector. But many screen protectors have it. My current Ringke glass one has it. Though I'm looking at a new one because the (excellent) alcohol lens wipes have removed the coating and there are bits around the edges that didn't adhere.

Hopefully with the new one I can wipe it with something that won't scratch it. I don't know what that would be.

Edit: something, not someone! I'm not looking for the right guy to clean my phone. :rolleyes:
 
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