September 21, 2026, 1:42 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
For many, it’s completely normal to immediately apply a screen protector to a new smartphone. This is meant to protect the screen from scratches and even breaks. However, Apple’s new vice president of hardware, Tom Marieb, finds the extra layer bothersome. His argument: Newer iPhones are already protected against scratches without a screen protector.
“It makes my skin crawl to see screen protectors on the iPhone”
In a group interview with Tom Marieb, “Techradar” had the chance to ask John Ternus’ successor at the hardware helm a few questions. The discussion covered not only the durability of the hinge in the new iPhone Duo but also a well-known technology: Ceramic Shield 2. The second generation of this particularly scratch- and break-resistant glass was first used in the iPhone 17 series. This year, it returns in the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, iPhone Duo, and even the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4.
According to Marieb, Ceramic Shield 2 offers a “good balance” between scratch resistance and wear resistance. Apple claims the glass is three times more scratch-resistant than the first generation of Ceramic Shield. Independent testers like the YouTube channel JerryRigEverything have confirmed this. While other smartphone displays show significant damage in scratch tests at hardness levels 6 or 7 on the Mohs scale, deep scratches on Ceramic Shield only appear at Mohs hardness 8. The hardness of topaz is used as a comparison for material hardness.
According to Marieb, Apple places great importance on meeting the needs of iPhone users. This means developing a display glass that not only withstands scratches but is also protected against wear. Marieb shared his opinion on the topic with “Techradar”: “When I personally see someone putting a screen protector on their iPhone, it makes my skin crawl because we put so much effort into developing beautiful displays.”
Marieb sees Apple’s approach as validated
According to Marieb, even higher scratch resistance would have been possible. However, this would have reduced wear resistance. Therefore, Ceramic Shield 2 is designed to meet both requirements as evenly as possible.
Apple aligns its testing procedures with typical everyday stresses. Existing “military specs” or older testing standards are not the decisive basis for development. Marieb: “We try to ask ourselves, ‘How do customers actually use it? What conditions do they expose it to in the real world?’ And we develop tests that replicate exactly that.”
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The tests are designed to simulate five years of wear and tear within a few weeks. This allows Apple to test various materials and coatings more quickly and incorporate the results into further development. Marieb sees the fact that the benefits of Ceramic Shield 2 remain visible even after one or two years without a screen protector as validation of the testing procedures.
“Apple’s display glass is excellent–but it’s still glass”
“I can personally understand Tom Marieb’s argument. The last time I used a screen protector was almost ten years ago. But I’m certainly not the reference, as I use my devices most of the time without a case–it just looks better and feels better in the hand.
As someone who currently uses an iPhone 15 Pro Max and an iPhone 17 Pro daily, I can say that Apple has pulled off a masterstroke with Ceramic Shield 2. While my 15 Pro Max with the original Ceramic Shield had deep scratches after just a few weeks, the 17 Pro is practically unscathed to this day. And that’s despite multiple drops on asphalt without protection.
Sure, glass is glass and glass breaks–to quote the wise words of JerryRigEverything’s Zack Nelson. In an unfortunate fall, Ceramic Shield can also break, as numerous examples on Reddit show. But that can also happen with a screen protector.
I believe there’s never been a better time to forgo an extra protector and just enjoy the great display–for which you paid a lot of money.”