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Vibrant Gorilla Glass Scratch Repair

Howdy folks! I'm new to XDA, I just bought myself a T-Mobile Vibrant and I'm ready to get under the hood of an Android phone and tinker around a bit. Unfortunately, I'm a busy engineering student and I don't have any significant programming skills yet, or time to develop them. However I have completed a project that I hope will be of use to some of the members here.
Preface
A few weeks ago I managed to scratch my screen quite badly. From the impressions I got from reading about Gorilla Glass, I assumed that I could get away with not having a screen cover for a little while. It turns out that this was a very bad idea. While Gorilla Glass is very tough, even if you are careful with it, there are situations where it can get scratched quite easily. I accidentally put a plastic credit card style hotel key in the same pocket with my phone. I am very anal about my screen and I check it for scratches each time I put in my pocket. After about twenty minutes of the hotel key being in my pocket with the phone, the screen went from completely flawless to very badly scratched. There was no metal on the card; it was entirely plastic. My theory is that some grit became trapped between the card and the screen. Either way, it goes to show that Gorilla glass is not impervious to damage.
Shots of the damage:
P.1
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P.2
P.3
As you can see there were several deep scratches and many more scuffs. Many of them were visible when the phone was on and caused ugly lines of distorted color. I'm afraid I forgot to take pics of the phone with the screen on before I started the repairs, but you can see what I'm talking about in the later pictures. This kind of screen condition is, IMHO unacceptable. I called up Samsung and they said it would be 160$ to repair the damage. The entire AMOLED screen has to be replaced because the glass is built in. Even though the information I was able to gather about gorilla glass polishing was less than encouraging, I figured that I may as well give it a shot. Worst case, I ruined the screen. The tech support guy confirmed that the Vibrant, (and I assume all galaxy S phones) have no coating of any kind, it's just glass.
Part 1: Materials and Preparation
Looking around I learned that some people had had some success polishing their non-Gorilla Glass iPhones with an industrial glass polishing compound called cerium oxide. I called around town to several windshield repair specialists and found someone who was nice enough to give me some for free! If you don't have as good luck you'll need to buy it online, because as far as I could tell it is not carried in stores. It can be purchased from Amazon
Some of the iPhone polishing guides mentioned that high grit sandpaper is useful to polish out deeper scratches. I went up to an Auto Zone and purchased a pack of 1000, 1500, 2000 grit wet dry sandpaper as well.
Even though the phone has a seal around the screen, I figured it would be worth it to tape up the edges with electrical tape. At the very least this needs to be done to the speaker. I found that the electrical tape worked extremely well, and left no annoying residue.
P.4
Part 2: Sanding
The second step is to sand the screen's phone down. The objective of this part is to remove the top layer of glass that has the scratches in it. This part is important as the polish is not abrasive enough to eliminate any but the lightest scratches.
Guides for polishing older iPhones warn you to go very easy on this part and say that you expect to significant result in about ten seconds. This is not true with Gorilla Glass. On my first attempt I went at it very hard with 1000 grit for several hours. This proved to be entirely insufficient:
P.5
P.6
As you can see I got a little bit of a scuff going, but was unable to remove enough of the top layer of glass to get rid any of the remotely deep scratches. You can see in the second picture that most of the scratches can be seen in spite of the scuff marks. In order for this screen to turn out properly, the old scratches need to be completely obliterated by the finer scuff marks. After I polished out my first attempt, it was clear that I had made very little progress. Application of a screen protector (not pictured) only exacerbated the deep scratches, due to the fact that an air pocket was created in the groves from the scratches.
P.7
P.8
So I gave it another shot. This time I went down to 800 grit and pressed down as hard as I dared without breaking the screen. In order to avoid excessively polishing one area and getting lensing I kept moving over the entire screen. There are two things to note here. First, keep the sand paper wet. Make a puddle of water on the screen that you can use to quickly rewet your sandpaper. I tried dry sanding, but that wasn't any faster and introduced a few new scratches that required more polishing to get out. Keeping the paper wet seems to alleviate this issue. Second, Gorilla Glass with eat your sand paper for breakfast. It will lose most of it ability to affect the screen after a few seconds. I cut my sheet of sandpaper into one inch squares and switched about every ten seconds. This seemed to help things go faster.
After a looong time, the original scratches were almost gone and the screen has a nice matte finish. This took several hours. This next pic compares properly sanded surface to polished surface in the center. Notice that the original scratches are no longer visible and that the unpolished surface has a nice homogenous texture.
P.9
I stopped sanding when the deepest scratches were almost but not completely gone. The key here is to smooth them out enough so that you don't have rough edges that diffract the screen light. If you have done it right, the scratches with be so shallow and polished that there will be no air gap created under the protector, and they will disappear completely.
Because the sanding takes so long, I suggest experimenting with something a bit harder than sandpaper. 800 or 1000 grit diamond polishing compound would probably be more effective. This stuff is designed for polishing metal, so it might do the trick.
Part 3: Polishing
On to the polishing! You will need to use a drill press, drill or some kind of rotary tool or else this part will simply take too long. I used a rotary tool with a felt wheel. This part took some tweaking to get right. You want to have a bowl of water and a bowl of cerium oxide mix handy. Mix a bit of water into the cerium oxide until you have a nice thick texture with no lumps in it. Dip the rotary tool in the cerium oxide water mixture, and start it up before you pull it all the way out of the bowl or else the polish will go everywhere. Also, dab a bit of polish and water on the phone and mix it together into a very thin mix. You can pull a bit of this into your work area from time to time to keep your polishing pad from drying out. This takes some finesse, but you will have plenty of time to perfect it. Again, you will need to press down very hard to get results. Gorilla Glass is very tough! This will generate a good amount of heat, so keep moving and touch the screen every so often to make sure you don't cook the phone's innards! Also, I recommend getting some kind of cloth bit if you can. The felt wasn't durable enough and disintegrated easily.
P.10
This will take quite a while, but if you keep at it, the scuff should start to give way to a nice shine like you see in P.9. I turned it on to make sure it still worked from time to time. Notice the pink areas where I have not begun to polish yet.
P.11
Here, I am very nearly finished with the process. There is still some polish to be done near the edge. At this point I abandoned the electrical tape except for on the speaker so I could get closer to the edge of the phone. Happily, it caused no problems!
P.12
It’s a little dirty, but the scratches are almost gone.
When I had finished, there were still some very slight "orange skin" looking areas in the glass when you held it up to the light, but it was all smooth. That is the key. The protector will eliminate this "orange skin" effect.
P.13
After application of the screen protector, (I used a REALOOK, it's fantastic. Other members have attested to this.) Few scratches were visible, and those that were could only be seen when the phone was viewed in just the right light. The photographs exaggerate them, but it really does look perfect when the screen is on, which is mission accomplished in my book!
Pics P.14 through P.17 were taken with the protector installed. Note that a lot of what you see on the screen are not scratches, but dust on top of the cover.
P.14
P.15
You can see the "haze" from the protector in P.15. It is exaggerated in the lighting. It is not at all visible when the phone is in use.
And some shots of the phone in action:
P.16
P.17
The touch screen did not suffer any damage or degradation in performance as a result of the polishing or the application of the screen protector.
All of these pics are available in high resolution at this imgur gallery:
My technique was modified from this article on removing scratches from an iPhone without Gorilla Glass.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Removing-Iphone-screen-scratches/

I did not realize gorrila glass was easily scratchable. I see youtube videos of people taking nails and screws to it without a single scratch but after this Im a bit worried not using a SP. Thanks for the info though.

No clue how you got those scratches, but thank you for a VERY good post. I'll be sure and add this to the sticky a bit later. Great job with the post man, really helpful.
Still confused about the scratches... I ALWAYS carried my plastic swipe card with my phone, no issues... ever.

The only way I can see that happening is that I got some grit in-between the phone and the card, and it rubbed. After my experience with the sandpaper, I can safely say that there is no possible way that plastic could do that. Still there's no way around it, I put the phone in my pocket with the card, and 20 minutes later, scratches.
I was at a natural park, so it's very possible that some sand, or something a bit harder than you would normally encounter got in there, but sooner or later it certainly can happen.

scratch repair
Nasty!
This is the first phone I've ever used a screen protector for and I put it on at the store when I unboxed the phone. It wasn't a day before I dropped the phone and was so very glad I'd put the protector on.
Regarding the buffing, I've had good luck getting scratches off the iPod touch with good old fashioned toothpaste and a finger. I'd be terrified to take a wheel to it with the amount of heat those things can generate.
Thanks for posting!

Yes the heat is a good point. I had to be careful about that. I'll note that in the OP.
Tooth paste and a finger will not touch this glass. It's just far, far too hard.

jrharvey said:
I did not realize gorrila glass was easily scratchable. I see youtube videos of people taking nails and screws to it without a single scratch but after this Im a bit worried not using a SP. Thanks for the info though.
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It all depends on how it happens.
As you can see from the OPs suffering, he had a hard time with sandpaper! Yet, something that happened to be in his pocket scratched it up something fierce.
Moral of the story, get a screen protector, you'll be the 1/10000 that manages to scratch his screen if you don't.
Also, OP...THANK YOU very much for this post. I might have to do this for my girlfriend, she scratched her screen on her earrings before we got the screen protector put on.

I have a nice vibrant with dead pixels.. Wasn't me to do a scratch test? I've taken a key and a screw to the corner already.. I used alot of force and it can only be seen with oil from my fingers.. But after cleaning the screen with a cloth they disappear.. I have no problem messing up this screen if y'all want me too...
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

junkdruggler said:
I have a nice vibrant with dead pixels.. Wasn't me to do a scratch test? I've taken a key and a screw to the corner already.. I used alot of force and it can only be seen with oil from my fingers.. But after cleaning the screen with a cloth they disappear.. I have no problem messing up this screen if y'all want me too...
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do it, Do it, Do it!! haha

The Asian Youtube Video DOES SHOW SCRATCHES.
jrharvey said:
I did not realize gorrila glass was easily scratchable. I see youtube videos of people taking nails and screws to it without a single scratch but after this Im a bit worried not using a SP. Thanks for the info though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've heard people reference this Asian video saying "wow no scratches,"
I guess people aren't looking closely, you clearly DO see scratches.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xASJobjD68
First scratch evident at 1:47-150, you have to pause at the right angle!
more scratches evident at 1:54
More scratches evident 3:05
And again at 3:10-3:11
And of course, friends of mine with the Galaxy S unprotected, and of course, scratches!
Protect that screen! Interesting thread through.

That's why I still have the screen protector on when there were so many people saying that it is scratches proved blablabla...

I'll pay the $160 before I put on a screen protector. Actually, I *did* pay the $160 already. Ha ha. I dropped my Vibrant on cement about two days after owning it and massively cracked the screen. If I get a light scratch then I can live with it but if it's like yours looked in the original post, I would pay the $160. Meanwhile I keep it in a pouch when it's in my pocket.

Excellent post
Excellent post
Not sure how the scratches were so deep unusual. Anyway, if people are interested in this kind of fix you can go to a gem stone supply and get the polishing compounds that are graduated (fine to finest) and use these. The fine will cut more and take the large defects and then move to finer and then finer. Remember the heat issue always check the surface and make sure it never gets too hot to touch.
Excellent post

I believe Ghost Armor should be a top priority for us Vibrant owners. I am a Ghost Armor employee. Do your research. It would of protected your phone from ever getting any scratches. Plus it also helps from impacts. Dropped my vibrant face down on tile and its still spotless. $25 for a full body wrap is a great deal.. especially with a lifetime warranty! PM me for more details.

MidShipRunabout2 said:
I believe Ghost Armor should be a top priority for us Vibrant owners. I am a Ghost Armor employee. Do your research. It would of protected your phone from ever getting any scratches. Plus it also helps from impacts. Dropped my vibrant face down on tile and its still spotless. $25 for a full body wrap is a great deal.. especially with a lifetime warranty! PM me for more details.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe you can get us a huge discount, oh like maybe 50% or more off the price

MidShipRunabout2 said:
I believe Ghost Armor should be a top priority for us Vibrant owners. I am a Ghost Armor employee. Do your research. It would of protected your phone from ever getting any scratches. Plus it also helps from impacts. Dropped my vibrant face down on tile and its still spotless. $25 for a full body wrap is a great deal.. especially with a lifetime warranty! PM me for more details.
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Click to collapse
The girlfriend & I have both done that WITHOUT ghost armor and had no scratches.
And how is a thin piece of plastic going to help with impacts? It might help with the side effects of impacts (you know getting scratched while hitting the ground), but it's not going to be enough to cushion the impact itself any noticeable amount.
You might want to run some things by your legal dept. before you start acting as spokesman.
I've also read that while the GA is great as a SP, as a full body cover, it seems to peel after a few months of normal use.

Wow, very nice work man. No way would I have had the patience for that

SamsungVibrant said:
Maybe you can get us a huge discount, oh like maybe 50% or more off the price
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If a group interest is made I could see what I could do.

tjhart85 said:
The girlfriend & I have both done that WITHOUT ghost armor and had no scratches.
And how is a thin piece of plastic going to help with impacts? It might help with the side effects of impacts (you know getting scratched while hitting the ground), but it's not going to be enough to cushion the impact itself any noticeable amount.
You might want to run some things by your legal dept. before you start acting as spokesman.
I've also read that while the GA is great as a SP, as a full body cover, it seems to peel after a few months of normal use.
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Click to collapse
I love how you call it a thin piece of plastic. It's actually polyurethane, which is a pretty sturdy material. Please dont tell me you believe a hard case is necessary for your phone.. Please amuse me..
I am a sales person that stands by my product.
It will peel depending on your usage of the phone.. Thats why we offer a lifetime warranty..
Any more questions?

junkdruggler said:
I have a nice vibrant with dead pixels.. Wasn't me to do a scratch test? I've taken a key and a screw to the corner already.. I used alot of force and it can only be seen with oil from my fingers.. But after cleaning the screen with a cloth they disappear.. I have no problem messing up this screen if y'all want me too...
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
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Click to collapse
But Will it Blend?
MidShipRunabout2 said:
I believe Ghost Armor should be a top priority for us Vibrant owners. I am a Ghost Armor employee. Do your research. It would of protected your phone from ever getting any scratches. Plus it also helps from impacts. Dropped my vibrant face down on tile and its still spotless. $25 for a full body wrap is a great deal.. especially with a lifetime warranty! PM me for more details.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did this as soon as the Ghost Armor kiosk at my mall got the Vibrant protector. It took them almost 2 weeks after I got my Vibrant for them to get it in. I had to go naked for TWO WHOLE WEEKS.
Back when I first got my iPhone (3 years ago) I got the InvisibleShield, but I prefer Ghost Armor, because firstly, it doesn't get that yellow discoloration, and secondly, with the kiosk at the mall, I don't have to worry about improper installation. The top part of my Vibrant got all messed up (some lint got in there and then it spread) and the guy at the Ghost Armor kiosk just replaced it for free! (Of course, there'd be an installation fee if I wanted to replace the whole screen part or the full body, but still!) My friend also got Ghost Armor on his iPhone 3G and it saved his screen from breaking into a million pieces when he dropped it on a rock (It still cracked though.)
If you don't want to take it from an employee, take it from a satisfied customer. Encase your Vibrant in Ghost Armor ASAP!

S-pen Scratches Screen?!

In a review of the Galaxy note 10.1 written by examiner they claim that when using the S-pen it can scratch you screen, and that it is only visible under the sunlight with the power off.
The worst part about the screen is that the S-Pen actually scratches the screen, which is supposed to be protected by Gorilla Glass. You won't notice the scratches unless you look at the screen with the power off in sunlight, but it is still annoying. Those of you who are desperate enough to buy the Galaxy Note 10.1 may want to invest in a screen cover.
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Can any note owners confirm this?
LINK :http://www.examiner.com/article/samsung-galaxy-note-10-1-tries-hard-but-ultimately-fails

Mine certainly does not have any scratches. At least not yet. I used it a lot so far (like writing a few full pages of notes), so I don't think it should normally be a problem.
Scratches might have happened because some particles between the pen and the screen, not the pen itself.

ugotproblemz said:
In a review of the Galaxy note 10.1 written by examiner they claim that when using the S-pen it can scratch you screen, and that it is only visible under the sunlight with the power off.
Can any note owners confirm this?
LINK :http://www.examiner.com/article/samsung-galaxy-note-10-1-tries-hard-but-ultimately-fails
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I just came to the forums looking for the same answer. I was planning on getting one of these tomorrow but now I want to wait until I hear from people who have them and are using them. Can anyone verify or dispute this claim that the stylus scratches the screen?

To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised. Gorilla glass isn't invincible. It's meant to give some leeway for those who do treat they devices carefully. That said, reviewers like these need to keep in mind that there are many factors that can contribute scratches on screens. While Gorilla Glass certainly does not get scratched easily by kitchen knives and blades, it can get scratched by dust. You might think that's impossible, but dust is made up of a lot of different things. There might be a diamond particle in there, who knows? But if you get something that hard and rub it against the Gorilla Glass, it's going to scratch, no questions asked.
I don't think it's the S Pen that scratched their screen, but rather their own carelessness. So to answer you question, is it possible that the S Pen scratched it? Yeah. But likely? Nope.
I don't own a Galaxy Note 10.1 yet, but I just wanted to get this across before people start to freak out about how Gorilla Glass can be scratched.

Its physically impossible for the plastic nib to scratch glass. But like the other guy said, any particles in between the nib and the screen could cause a scratch. I've experienced this myself personally on my Note. Just make sure the screen and nib are clean, and if you're gonna be using the tablet in an environment where it could be subjected to dust particles or whatever, I'd highly recommend a screen protector. Oh, one other thing, what looks like scratches could just be the pen cutting through finger grease on the screen. There have been many times where I thought I got a bunch of little scratches on my screen, but then was relieved to find out that was not the case.
As a sidenote, what's with reviewers these days? It's like they're all doing every thing they can to discredit the Note and make sure it fails.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

Looks like a poor attempt of a review to slate Samsungs new tablet. I wouldn't even call it a review just a rant by someone who dislikes the device from the start. I would ignore it.

So far no scratches on my screen. I have been using it for about two weeks. I do plan on getting a screen protector just in case.
Sent from my GT-N8000 using xda premium

Now 4 days continously working with S-Pan indoors and outdoors by the pool, even on the beach: no single scratch even when lookung with a magnifying glass.
Some types of grease/lotions make believe it´s a scratch and can be very sticky but can easily be wiped away with a wet cloth and a microsquirt of dishcleaner.
I bought the 10.1 as replacement for my old notebook and it will have a hard life with me

I have both the note 5.3 phone and the 10.1 and neither have scratches from the s pen. I don't have one regret about getting this I pad conqueror!

I've had the Note 5.3 phone since December last year and the screen on it has not a single scratch on it, my 3 year old son likes to draw on the phone with the S Pen and as already mentioned still not a single scratch (knock on wood!).
If you are worried then get a screen protector, I have not yet decided if I will get one myself or if I will just settle with a case/flip case of some sort.
Here is a thread regarding screen protectors for the Note 10.1 - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1838473
What I in fact AM worried about is the rear facing camera lens on the Note 10.1, if the "design" is the same as on the Note 5.3 phone (which it seems to be based on pictures), the rear facing camera lens is actually a little bit elevated. So if the Note 10.1 is laying flat on it's back on a desk you better make sure there are no small sharp particles that can scratch the lens on the desk.
Attaches below is a picture where you can clearly see this.
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You may use a screen protector to be on the safe side.
Off-topic: is it easy to write in on this tablet, does it recognizes handwriting easily.
tapatalk سے لکھا گیا

drraptor said:
You may use a screen protector to be on the safe side.
Off-topic: is it easy to write in on this tablet, does it recognizes handwriting easily.
tapatalk سے لکھا گیا
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Check this thread for a video that demonstrates the handwriting - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1840997

Natively, there's only two things that will scratch the display; both within your control. Gorilla Glass scratches with sand and silica. Keep it away from those and you should be fine. If the display and or pen are dirty, there's a chance something on either could cause scratches; potentially bad ones. Keep eye glass cleaning wipes handy to clean both frequently and you should be fine. Either way bad things happen to portable devices sometimes so luck and fate play a role too.

Addendum: although the performance of the SGN10.1 in bright sunlight is very good an antireflective screen protector would be a good idea. On my SGS II and III and Note I have antireflective screen protectors installed.
The disadvantage of these antireflectives is a more blurry screen and loss of "sharpness" which is considerably strong esp. on my SGS III
The most difficult part will be to attach the protector which should be done in a dust free environment to prevent bubbles.
With this protector installed You will never ever have to worry about scratches by sand (beach, desert, sandy environment) or lava-ashes (Pacific fire ring countries, Italy). Nano- and micro-crystals of sand and/or other silica adhere nicely to the grease on the screen from Your fingers and thus might create scratches even on gentle cleaning with a soft cloth.

BarryH_GEG said:
Natively, there's only two things that will scratch the display; both within your control. Gorilla Glass scratches with sand and silica. Keep it away from those and you should be fine. If the display and or pen are dirty, there's a chance something on either could cause scratches; potentially bad ones. Keep eye glass cleaning wipes handy to clean both frequently and you should be fine. Either way bad things happen to portable devices sometimes so luck and fate play a role too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably some are defective though - mine Asus Trasnformer has many scratches while I never had sand or silica near it. The worst scratch is probably from when it was lying on the table screen down - there was only sugar and some breadcrumbs there. I have also a lot of smaller scratches on the border (outside of screen mostly, but still on the glass). I suspect Gorilla Glass in this unit is a little defective. It's only a theory though. For comparison - I had eye glassess from normal glass for 10 years that I treated without any respect and they didn't have any scratches. Also no scratch on my phone which has to survive worse treatment than the tablet.

freedomispopular said:
Its physically impossible for the plastic nib to scratch glass. But like the other guy said, any particles in between the nib and the screen could cause a scratch. I've experienced this myself personally on my Note. Just make sure the screen and nib are clean, and if you're gonna be using the tablet in an environment where it could be subjected to dust particles or whatever, I'd highly recommend a screen protector. Oh, one other thing, what looks like scratches could just be the pen cutting through finger grease on the screen. There have been many times where I thought I got a bunch of little scratches on my screen, but then was relieved to find out that was not the case.
As a sidenote, what's with reviewers these days? It's like they're all doing every thing they can to discredit the Note and make sure it fails.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
I'm also surprised at the flurry of negative reviews and the tendency to describe the S Pen as a gimmick. At some point, I read that Steve Jobs had rejected the idea of a stylus being useful, on the grounds that people would prefer the simplicity of using a finger. The reasoning makes me think he was envisioning the stylus a la Palm circa 2006, which did little more than navigation. I wonder if reviewers are deferential to Jobs' opinion without examining his reasoning (if the account I encountered is in fact true) -- the Note S Pen offers a lot more utility than the old Palm styli ever did.
Otherwise, I suppose those reviewers must have different purposes in mind for a tablet. The Note 10.1 is my first tablet, as it's the first time I've considered any tablet to offer enough utility above my laptop and smartphone to be worth several hundred dollars.

Jobs was simply a ........ POSER
Maybe he did not even ever work with a Compaq iPac which was an excellent device at it's time (BTW: the Compaq was also "flat with rounded corners" and had an "i" in front of the "Pac" )
He developed devices to the philosophy: take the best hardware developed by other brilliant companies, design the OS as simple as possible (spares a hell of money), check if three year old children get along with the device ( knowing that 90% of the people are too lazy to invest some brains), make Chinese workers assemble the devices for nothing, force consumers to stay in the Apple world, sell it for a hell of money, make a religion of "Apple", and finally go on a Djihad against all companies that make Apple devices possible firsthand.
Like RedBull his only merit was to be an excellent merchandiser.
BTW: EXACTLY THE STYLUS WAS THE REASON FOR ME TO BUY THIS PIECE OF DIGITAL ART

BarryH_GEG said:
Natively, there's only two things that will scratch the display; both within your control. Gorilla Glass scratches with sand and silica. Keep it away from those and you should be fine. If the display and or pen are dirty, there's a chance something on either could cause scratches; potentially bad ones. Keep eye glass cleaning wipes handy to clean both frequently and you should be fine. Either way bad things happen to portable devices sometimes so luck and fate play a role too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't post links yet, but Google smudgeguard. It is a very useful glove that was created for artist which is a perfect accessory for the note. At $16 it is a good investment IMO. Granted dollar store gloves with the fingers cut would work but these actually look nice and are designed to prevent smudging.

spartan1132 said:
I can't post links yet, but Google smudgeguard. It is a very useful glove that was created for artist which is a perfect accessory for the note. At $16 it is a good investment IMO. Granted dollar store gloves with the fingers cut would work but these actually look nice and are designed to prevent smudging.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I wear my smudge guard the Note still registers touches so you're better off with a thicker glove.
I remember seeing one a few months ago aimed toward the iPad crowd. I can't remember the name at the moment though. I'll post back if I remember or find it.
Sent from my Galaxy Note

ugotproblemz said:
In a review of the Galaxy note 10.1 written by examiner they claim that when using the S-pen it can scratch you screen, and that it is only visible under the sunlight with the power off.
Can any note owners confirm this?
LINK :http://www.examiner.com/article/samsung-galaxy-note-10-1-tries-hard-but-ultimately-fails
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We had the same report about the ThinkPad Tablet and I never found it to be true. I've had mine nearly a year, used the pen extensively, and zero scratches with zero screen protector. YMMV If your pen nib is rough then you'll have a problem.

[With pics] How to replace only the glass (not the whole "LCD") on a Galaxy S3!

[With pics] How to replace only the glass (not the whole "LCD") on a Galaxy S3!
You don't.
Although it is entirely possible, the chance of failure if done by people with absolutely no experience with mobile phone repairs is very high.
If you've broken the screen on your Samsung Galaxy S3 and have considered replacing the screen by yourself because your local mobile phone repair shops charge a hefty price for the repair, you should reconsider. You may have seen videos like the following that make it seem it is very easy to replace the glass only:
(skip to 3:00 in this one)
Maybe it seemed too easy. That's because it was too easy. Chances are those screens have already been replaced before by a third party who has access to professional equipment and skills. Possibly the screen has been broken more than once?
Even if you do successfully replace the glass only, it is guaranteed that you will get scratches, dust, fingerprints and adhesive marks on the Super AMOLED panel, no matter how much you clean it. That's because you won't be doing the repair with gloves on in a clean room free of dust. And that's not all - after a few weeks or months of use, dust will somehow find a way to get in between the glass and SAMOLED+ panel because you didn't use machine-cut adhesive that adheres your glass perfectly, leaving no gap for dust to get in. Your screen's touch sensitivity will drop as well, since it's not making adequate contact with the digitizer. And on top of that, the visibility will also drop.
Those problems don't show up on camera, and can easily be masked/hidden from the camera, too.
If this is only your first time breaking the screen on your S3, those tutorials won't work for you because your screen was manufactured as one whole piece by Samsung. The glass on your phone won't fall out by itself because the whole glass is optically laminated to the SAMOLED+ panel using a Liquid Optically Clear Adhesive, or LOCA for short. This kind of adhesive is a little bit sensitive to heat, but can't be completely removed because it is cured using UV light, not heat.
Optical lamination is a manufacturing process employed in more high end mobile devices that eliminate the air gap usually present between the display panel (usually either LCD or AMOLED) and the glass digitizer panel on top. Phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S3, S4, Note 2 and Note 3, iPhone 4/4S/5/5S/5C, HTC One X, One, Butterfly, Droid DNA, LG Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Sony Xperia Z, Z1, Z Ultra etc. have displays that are optically laminated. Optical lamination has a number of advantages:
Visibility is increased (especially under sunlight), since there aren't multiple layers reflecting ambient light creating optical interference
Screen clarity is increased, since optical lamination makes the display look like it is on top of the glass as opposed to being under it
It is impossible for debris like dirt and dust to get trapped in the air gap between the display and glass, because that gap is filled with LOCA
Higher contrast ratio, because there's less light reflecting off the parts of the screen that aren't emitting light
But the biggest disadvantage is the increased cost of repair. That's what you have to pay for all those aforementioned advantages. It also certainly doesn't help that the screens are getting thinner and thinner every year. The likelihood of breaking the screen increases every year too.
Here's a little photo album that I'd like to share with everyone documenting my experiences trying to remove the glass from full original Samsung screens that haven't been replaced or tampered with before. Click to enlarge.
This is a picture of the Black Samsung Galaxy S3 GT-i9300. Only the glass was broken, so I attempted to separate it from the AMOLED panel using a heat gun and some plastic pry tools. So far so good, until the AMOLED panel broke because it is optically bonded to the glass and also stuck to the frame underneath it. You can still see some LOCA on the AMOLED panel and glass.
Second is the Galaxy S4 GT-i9505. It was broken on the top half, so I started removing the glass from the bottom. Again, the LOCA wasn't very cooperative, staying quite solid throughout the removal. Eventually, the S4's AMOLED panel broke too.
It didn't look like the broken original Samsung screens wanted to be separated, so I moved on to fully intact screens.
It was a pain trying to separate this one. The adhesive was very difficult to remove, and the screen's touch digitizer circuit and polarizer started to separate from the AMOLED panel. As you can see, the glass came off intact, but the AMOLED underneath was completely destroyed.
It doesn't look like the digitizer circuit/polarizer is bonded to the AMOLED. It just gets sandwiched on top, so it is very easy to unintentionally separate it from the AMOLED instead of leaving it on and only removing the glass, especially if the glass is smashed into a thousand fragments. The glass was in one piece though, and you can see how that turned out.
This is a good representation of what the AMOLED sandwich consists of. From top to bottom:
Gorilla Glass
Touch digitizer circuit/polarizer (you can see the rest of the glass is a lot darker than the top left corner where polarizer was removed)
AMOLED panel (it looks very reflective without the polarizer on top of it)
Midframe
Some of the AMOLED panel itself came off and was still stuck to the glass!
You can see how thin and fragile the AMOLED panel is on the Samsung Galaxy S series phones. Sure, it's thin, but is it worth it? The panel has to be supported by the frame and the glass to stay intact. The panel on the S4 has a slimmed down bezel and was made thinner again, so it's a lot easier to break the AMOLED on the S4 than it is on the S3.
Ugh, don't even get me started with the iPhone 5 screen. LCDs are more robust than AMOLEDS but still...so much LOCA...so much glass...
Sure, these glass panels can be had for about $10, but is it worth all the effort to end up with a screen full of dust and fingerprints, has a warped frame and will eventually come loose and fall off, or simply just to destroy the AMOLED panel then spending extra money on a whole display assembly? Reapplying the glass leaving no gaps for dust to get in requires adhesive that is machine-cut perfectly for your frame.
Edit: Even then, you still don't have any LOCA or the necessary facilities to fill that air gap. (Thanks to @KrzychuG !)
Do you have what it takes?
Sorry for such a long post. I'm spending my time, efforts and money so you don't have to. I will occasionally add to this thread when I get more screens to experiment with.

This is a good video on how these screens can be separated and replaced with a perfect bubble-free and dust-free finish:

Most of the time its a better idea to just buy an entire replacement. I've replaced glass on nexus 7's and Galaxy Note2's a few times. it's not fun to replace glass or lamination, and it's just a whole lot easier to purchase a "parts" phone with a working display from ebay and swap out boards. Glass is one of my least favorite things to play with.

vantt1 said:
This is a good video on how these screens can be separated and replaced with a perfect bubble-free and dust-free finish:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome dude! thanks alot for the tutorial, but i dont think people have industrial size vacuums in their house, lol,

Thank you so much, this is very helpful!
Can I ask how you got the information? That would be very useful to do further research about other devices
Thanks again!

I will never, ever separate the glass and the screen. I know that it will break for sure. When I replace phone glass, I replace the entire front screen assembly which includes the glass, screen, and any frame to attach it into the phone. Even if it's just the glass that's broken and the LCD still works, still replace the entire front assembly.

Pizza_Dox said:
Awesome dude! thanks alot for the tutorial, but i dont think people have industrial size vacuums in their house, lol,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the point is that unless you have all this stuff you shouldn't be even attempting to replace the glass.

i have tried this multiple times and all i can say is for anyone at home wihtout the professional equipment your not gonna get anywhere.. this isnt like and iPhone 3G/S where you take the screen off and seperate the LCD from the digitizer with a heatgun or hairdryer, ive tried all possible ways an failed every single time, either broken AMOLED or in some cases half the AMOLED comes off with the adheasive...
just save your money and buy the digitizer with the AMOLED attached..

HankChill said:
I will never, ever separate the glass and the screen. I know that it will break for sure. When I replace phone glass, I replace the entire front screen assembly which includes the glass, screen, and any frame to attach it into the phone. Even if it's just the glass that's broken and the LCD still works, still replace the entire front assembly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
but what will you do with the old screen with the broken front glass ?

andr3wchong said:
but what will you do with the old screen with the broken front glass ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Chuck it

I have replaced many screens, and in my experience, you're always best buying everything as readily assembled as possible. Out of 5 attempts at separating the S3 Glass from the AMOLED panel, I have managed it twice without breaking the AMOLED, and that involves also keeping the digitser intact as well, which is between the outer glass and the AMOLED.
Back when I was doing this, you were looking at £175+ for the complete assembly, so to some people, £20 at a risk was worth it if I could manage it. Now though they're cheap enough to replace the whole lot without the worry.
There is an app on Play Store called ifixit which gives pretty detailed step-by-step instructions for most DIY teardowns and fixes for phones, tablets, consoles and even some household applicances, and they have a website too. Unfortunately, it's only experience (and expense) that make you realise that just because they make it look doable, it doesn't mean everyone can do it easily. There are many, many pitfalls that you will only discover yourself when you take on these DIY repairs, to the point where I don't do them all that often anymore, just because it's too stressful and costly if it goes wrong. My first iPhone 4 (am I allowed to say that here? ) screen replacement took me 3 hours just because of how careful I was. Now I can do it in 20 minutes, just because of experience. But even then you can be plagued with problems for no apparent reason. If you don't handle stress well, my best advice is to leave it to the experts

matmaneyre said:
I have replaced many screens, and in my experience, you're always best buying everything as readily assembled as possible. Out of 5 attempts at separating the S3 Glass from the AMOLED panel, I have managed it twice without breaking the AMOLED, and that involves also keeping the digitser intact as well, which is between the outer glass and the AMOLED.
Back when I was doing this, you were looking at £175+ for the complete assembly, so to some people, £20 at a risk was worth it if I could manage it. Now though they're cheap enough to replace the whole lot without the worry.
There is an app on Play Store called ifixit which gives pretty detailed step-by-step instructions for most DIY teardowns and fixes for phones, tablets, consoles and even some household applicances, and they have a website too. Unfortunately, it's only experience (and expense) that make you realise that just because they make it look doable, it doesn't mean everyone can do it easily. There are many, many pitfalls that you will only discover yourself when you take on these DIY repairs, to the point where I don't do them all that often anymore, just because it's too stressful and costly if it goes wrong. My first iPhone 4 (am I allowed to say that here? ) screen replacement took me 3 hours just because of how careful I was. Now I can do it in 20 minutes, just because of experience. But even then you can be plagued with problems for no apparent reason. If you don't handle stress well, my best advice is to leave it to the experts
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you musty be really good out of i think 7 possible 8, i have managed to seperate once, but still i scratched the AMOLED...

ricky310711 said:
you musty be really good out of i think 7 possible 8, i have managed to seperate once, but still i scratched the AMOLED...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It never feels like I'm very good when I see the screen go though. Just that sick feeling :/
Saying that as well, I gave the phones back to whoever they belonged to when they were done. There's nothing to say that a couple of weeks/months down the line they faced the problems of dust under the glass, touchscreen sensitivity reduced etc. They were just happy to get them back 'looking' perfect.
Never again

matmaneyre said:
It never feels like I'm very good when I see the screen go though. Just that sick feeling :/
Saying that as well, I gave the phones back to whoever they belonged to when they were done. There's nothing to say that a couple of weeks/months down the line they faced the problems of dust under the glass, touchscreen sensitivity reduced etc. They were just happy to get them back 'looking' perfect.
Never again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
your right, quallity also plays a BIG part aswell, like you said never know what could happen, but better brands generally have better touch respones and just generally more smoothe, i knew someone who had just got the digitizer replaced by a phone repair shop, they couldnt use their phone in the wind thats how bad the replacement was..
EDIT: response**

thank you, says my sii p
you saved a sii today, i'm using my phone without screen protection so it gets scratches after long times and i said to myself that's ok, i will replace the gorilla glass. that would be open the phone replace it then close it and i will have a new sii p again but sounds it's not that easy.

Very interesting thread.
I must be lucky,as on several occasions with most phones I have owned (HTC Desire hd, HTC One X, HTC One,Nexus 5, Samsung Note 3) I have accidentally dropped my phone. I've never had a case on and have on some occasions been unlucky to have the phone land on the screen, it has happened indoors and outdoors, on concrete and tarmac, despite this I haven't ever broken the glass.

andr3wchong said:
but what will you do with the old screen with the broken front glass ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HankChill said:
Chuck it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't follow the advice to "Chuck it". We purchase these cracked glass assemblies as long as the touch screen and LCD still work fine. We can pay up to $100 PER screen, depending on the model. PM us for prices for bulk orders.

I very recently bought myself an used Galaxy S3 and to my great disappointment the glass has no scratches because it has been replaced. Now I got ****ty touchscreen response and already dust is gathering between the digitizer and the glass. I might try to sell it off and buy myself another one, this time checking very carefully that everything is in perfect working condition!
So much for thinking I had found a bargain for this fantastic phone (which, despite the problems, is a nice upgrade from my Galaxy Ace!)

MobileEMT said:
I wouldn't follow the advice to "Chuck it". We purchase these cracked glass assemblies as long as the touch screen and LCD still work fine. We can pay up to $100 PER screen, depending on the model. PM us for prices for bulk orders.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really? I have a crapload

ricky310711 said:
Really? I have a crapload
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to hear! We'll PM you. Feel free to contact us if you would like to sell or refurbish them.

Glass screen protector vs. touchscreen sensitivity

So, I just purchased a glass screen protector for my G2. It's no Spigen ultra thin ultra everything... it's a no name, I guess. Acquired from eBay (China-based seller, of course), for about 3.5 bucks (with slow, but free shipping). There's even Chinese written on the packaging, so it's Chinese alright.
Link Dream Glass-Protector. Cleophobic Coated Chemicaily Treated Glass For Mobile Device Screen.
That's the title. And there are numerous typos all across the packaging. They clearly didn't put much effort into that, but they did some parts right.
The scratch resistance is 9H (so nothing else except sand, glass, diamonds etc. should scratch it - I have a feeling that even metals will scratch it, so I doubt it's 9H), and the thickness is 0.33mm (doesn't say on the packaging, but I know).
Anyway. Delicate touch is advertised (on the bottom of the packaging) - they even say it twice in the four images depicted on the packaging, captioned Oleophobic Coating, Delicate Touch, Whole Transparency, Delicate Touch.
-----
Well, they got me with the transparency. It's transparent alright. I can't say much about the oleophobic coating - it feels pretty much like any other Gorilla Glass-coated screen feels... I guess. I mean I never really used any of my phones for more than an hour without a screen protector on, and this is the first time I use a glass screen protector, so...
But they didn't quite get me with the delicate touch part. I thought they mean the sensitivity is high (as it is advertised on every screen protector there is, lol). Actually, by delicate touch they probably just mean that the glass feels nicer to the touch, compared to plastic film protectors. Which is entirely true. It even says on the "box" : Smooth touch: the elimination of common sense jerky film touch, feel smoother, more fluent operation.
I just installed this screen protector a few hours ago, and I noticed I can't knock-knock the phone as delicate as I used to in order to wake up the screen (some times). So I'm guessing there is some sensitivity degradation - it's very slight, but it seems to be present...
Alright, tl;dr time. My question is... Is anyone else here having a glass screen protector on their LG G2? If yes, what brand is it, how thick is it, and have you noticed a slight sensitivity degradation since you installed it?

I purchased the panzer glass tempered glass screen protector for what's equivalent to about 33 dollars. It has been on my phone since early January. Honestly I only used my phone for 6 days with the original screen protector (yes, with all the text and stuff - I still found the screen to be gorgeous). I recall losing a bit of sensitivity, but you'll eventually get used to it. Now, since you only paid 10 percent of what mine cost me, I'd assume it's lower quality.
Tldr
My phone doesn't seem much less sensitive - but maybe a bit.

Having a tempered glass screen protector definitely has a hit on touch screen sensitivity. It is noticeable but doesn't make the device unusable. It is just not as sensitive to touch as something like my iPad.

lowjinyik said:
Having a tempered glass screen protector definitely has a hit on touch screen sensitivity. It is noticeable but doesn't make the device unusable. It is just not as sensitive to touch as something like my iPad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have one on your LG G2, as well? Or on another phone you may be owning...?

vPro97 said:
I purchased the panzer glass tempered glass screen protector for what's equivalent to about 33 dollars. It has been on my phone since early January. Honestly I only used my phone for 6 days with the original screen protector (yes, with all the text and stuff - I still found the screen to be gorgeous). I recall losing a bit of sensitivity, but you'll eventually get used to it. Now, since you only paid 10 percent of what mine cost me, I'd assume it's lower quality.
Tldr
My phone doesn't seem much less sensitive - but maybe a bit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
33 bucks... damn that's expensive. I got mine for less than $4, so...
Anyway. January... that's a lot! Has it gotten scratched yet? It really shouldn't, but...

Formhault said:
33 bucks... damn that's expensive. I got mine for less than $4, so...
Anyway. January... that's a lot! Has it gotten scratched yet? It really shouldn't, but...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah it's really expensive.
Not really. It has some really hair-thin scratches but you need to turn the screen off and put it under direct light to even see them.
The only annoyance is that it had a small bubble when I applied it (my fault) and that bubble is now 5 cm tall. Fortunately it's along the far left side so it doesn't bother me
If you don't mind searching for it, I have made a review of it in the G2 accessories.

I purchased a NILKIN glass protector which I put on my phone yesterday. So far I do not feel any difference in touch sensitivity and everything works well. Even the sides are not raised from the screen that much. I'm very happy with this and recommend it to anyone who wants a glass protector. It was under 10 dollars on ebay

vPro97 said:
Not really. It has some really hair-thin scratches but you need to turn the screen off and put it under direct light to even see them.
The only annoyance is that it had a small bubble when I applied it (my fault) and that bubble is now 5 cm tall. Fortunately it's along the far left side so it doesn't bother me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine already had a few scratches on it. At least I think they were there... because when I applied it, the glass only had one protective film (on the back, where the adhesive is). I guess the manufacturer thought the glass is strong enough to not become scratched during shipping & handling and such. Anyway, the scratches are extremely thin and only become visible when the screen is off and at an angle, under direct, strong light.
I don't have any bubbles. It's weird, because when I applied it (well, my girlfriend actually did - turns out she's good at this, especially if in a steamy room like a bathroom, so there are no dust particles, you know), the glass seated itself only about 5 seconds after me and my girlfriend thought it was installed. I mean we could see the glass sticking to the phone, gradually, you know...
There are some... things... Not exactly bubbles. When I take my phone out of the pocket, I see a lot of horizontal (not 100% horizontal, they are a bit tilted) lines, which go away if I clean the glass with a T-Shirt for example.
vPro97 said:
If you don't mind searching for it, I have made a review of it in the G2 accessories.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Didn't know. Will do.

sjk971005 said:
I purchased a NILKIN glass protector which I put on my phone yesterday. So far I do not feel any difference in touch sensitivity and everything works well. Even the sides are not raised from the screen that much. I'm very happy with this and recommend it to anyone who wants a glass protector. It was under 10 dollars on ebay
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was curious and made a search for it. Found no such thing for the LG G2, but many for other devices. Such as this one. And this one. Since all they advertise is the amazingness of the screen protector, and NOT the thickness of it... I'll assume it's just like the rest : 9H, 0.33mm. So... just like mine... which was less than $4.

I have mine installed from ebay.....i havent noticed a sensitivity loss .....maybe on knock code ..maybe but on other things such as games or even photoshop touch it works flawlessly and with no sensitive loss. Cost me @ 8 dollars as well plus has an extra coverage area that matches the face of my phone
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=201079066290&alt=web
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For your own custom Sig : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1922304

south956 said:
I have mine installed from ebay.....i havent noticed a sensitivity loss .....maybe on knock code ..maybe but on other things such as games or even photoshop touch it works flawlessly and with no sensitive loss. Cost me @ 8 dollars as well plus has an extra coverage area that matches the face of my phone
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=201079066290&alt=web
For your own custom Sig : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1922304
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice. 8 bucks, that's not too much. But shipping anything from the US to Romania is either impossible (for this seller it sure is) either very costly to the point it's not worth it anymore.
I noticed some touchscreen sensitivity degradation yesterday... was walking a long way and was browsing an e-mail via Chrome... scrolling just stopped responding. Had to turn the screen off & on again to regain functionality. Stuff like this happens at least 3 times a day. It's no biggie, but I'm gonna start searching for a better glass screen protector (from China, so I get free shipping).

Screen scratches within only 2 weeks

I have owned the phone for 2 weeks and have some really horrible scratches on the screen already. I really don't feel the screen should scratch this easily as I have never experienced this with a phone before.
The phone has been in a case since day 1 that elevates it if placed face down. Additionally I have not dropped the phone at all. The phone always goes straight to my pocket by itself facing my leg. I checked for dirt in my pockets and there is none that I can ever feel. I really don't understand how this is happening. The scratches are extremely noticeable in direct light and do not resemble microscratches, but thick scratches. I feel as if this glass is defective or something with how quickly and seemingly easily it has scratched.
Is there anything I can do to exchange the phone, buff the scratches, or get rid of them?

Here are some photos of the scratches, granted the camera doesnt really capture it as well.
https://imgur.com/gallery/OtuAt

Yes it is not normal at all, did you put the phone in the sand or something like that, because i don't know if Samsung cover this damage. If it was on the phone at the opening of the box, the warranty can be used i think.

Tristan1302 said:
Yes it is not normal at all, did you put the phone in the sand or something like that, because i don't know if Samsung cover this damage. If it was on the phone at the opening of the box, the warranty can be used i think.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was not on the phone when opening the box and no it has not shown any signs of sand on it. Just scratches appearing.

The scratches cannot appears like that, something has scratched your phone, I have it for 1 month and there is ont a single scratch on the screen, it's really strange...

2 weeks, as new.
Sent from my Samsung SM-G950F using XDA Labs

You're not alone. I found several lower left side. Frustrating to say the least!
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

I always got the latest flagship phone from Samsung, Apple, and Google. I am not using any screen protector, just a very thin back cases at 0.35mm. Micro scratches are present in all devices all around the screen but barely noticeable even in bright lighting like on mornings outdoor. Only visible at certain lighting and when you really looked for those scratches. If you do not want those micro scratches or glass scratches, then use a screen protector. Phone screens are mostly glass and not pure sapphires to not be scratched (except using diamonds). There is no way for phones with glass screens to be at 100% smoothness for a long time without using a screen protector unless you are not using it. Also, you won't use your phone forever anyway. You'll eventually upgrade after let's say 2 years maybe so why not just use it as it is.

MarkerBeanXDA said:
I always got the latest flagship phone from Samsung, Apple, and Google. I am not using any screen protector, just a very thin back cases at 0.35mm. Micro scratches are present in all devices all around the screen but barely noticeable even in bright lighting like on mornings outdoor. Only visible at certain lighting and when you really looked for those scratches. If you do not want those micro scratches or glass scratches, then use a screen protector. Phone screens are mostly glass and not pure sapphires to not be scratched (except using diamonds). There is no way for phones with glass screens to be at 100% smoothness for a long time without using a screen protector unless you are not using it. Also, you won't use your phone forever anyway. You'll eventually upgrade after let's say 2 years maybe so why not just use it as it is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the original posters comment was meant to supplement several other posters on this forum to suggest that for some reason the glass on this particular flagship phone seems to be more susceptible to scratches than previous models
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

theprfct10 said:
I think the original posters comment was meant to supplement several other posters on this forum to suggest that for some reason the glass on this particular flagship phone seems to be more susceptible to scratches than previous models
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well i don't think so. I have used almost all flagships from apple, samsung, and nexus phones as my daily driver and It all got micro scratches after 2-3days of using it without a screen protector. I am careful with using my phone and not putting it on my bag without a towel or soft cloth covering the phone and when putting it on my pocket sometimes, i am making sure it's clean and nothing on it, just the phone.

MarkerBeanXDA said:
Well i don't think so. I have used almost all flagships from apple, samsung, and nexus phones as my daily driver and It all got micro scratches after 2-3days of using it without a screen protector. I am careful with using my phone and not putting it on my bag without a towel or soft cloth covering the phone and when putting it on my pocket sometimes, i am making sure it's clean and nothing on it, just the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We can agree to disagree. I also don't think you should judge anybody on this forum just by nature of their post - I'm sure he and I are just as careful as you are but that doesn't mean we are in any way negligent for the scratches that seem to have appeared on our phones versus you
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

theprfct10 said:
We can agree to disagree. I also don't think you should judge anybody on this forum just by nature of their post - I'm sure he and I are just as careful as you are but that doesn't mean we are in any way negligent for the scratches that seem to have appeared on our phones versus you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What i was saying is that, it's not that we are not careful or it's not that the phone is bad. It's just the way it is. Use a screen protector and your phone screen will be smooth. Don't use a screen protector and your phone screen will eventually have scratches. Not because you are not careful but that's just how it is. It's not made to be scratch proof, just scratch resistant.

MarkerBeanXDA said:
What i was saying is that, it's not that we are not careful or it's not that the phone is bad. It's just the way it is. Use a screen protector and your phone screen will be smooth. Don't use a screen protector and your phone screen will eventually have scratches. Not because you are not careful but that's just how it is. It's not made to be scratch proof, just scratch resistant.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That I completely agree with you although I must tell you several screen protectors especially for the curved glass are nowhere near as smooth as the original glass on the phone itself and you can include the film protectors for sure - thank you for keeping it civil.
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

theprfct10 said:
That I completely agree with you although I must tell you several screen protectors especially for the curved glass are nowhere near as smooth as the original glass on the phone itself and you can include the film protectors for sure - thank you for keeping it civil.
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There is actually, the official screen protector from samsung. Not a tempered glass, but a curved film that will fit up to the edges of the phone. It does not involve wet aplplication btw, just apply as normal screen protector. Also, i have seen one film screen protector that sticks up to the back of the phone (not the whole back) and it's definitely not gonna peel off as the screen protector does not end on the edges, but on the back which is quite clever i think so that the protector will really be protected up to its edges and it will not peel off at the same time. It's a very thin film so cases will still fit.

MarkerBeanXDA said:
There is actually, the official screen protector from samsung. Not a tempered glass, but a curved film that will fit up to the edges of the phone. It does not involve wet aplplication btw, just apply as normal screen protector. Also, i have seen one film screen protector that sticks up to the back of the phone (not the whole back) and it's definitely not gonna peel off as the screen protector does not end on the edges, but on the back which is quite clever i think so that the protector will really be protected up to its edges and it will not peel off at the same time. It's a very thin film so cases will still fit.
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Cool, do you remember the brand of that one?
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theprfct10 said:
Cool, do you remember the brand of that one?
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The one i saw was from ScreenSecure i think but many stalls are doing it in malls for about $4.

MarkerBeanXDA said:
The one i saw was from ScreenSecure i think but many stalls are doing it in malls for about $4.
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Thanks!
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MarkerBeanXDA said:
Well i don't think so. I have used almost all flagships from apple, samsung, and nexus phones as my daily driver and It all got micro scratches after 2-3days of using it without a screen protector. I am careful with using my phone and not putting it on my bag without a towel or soft cloth covering the phone and when putting it on my pocket sometimes, i am making sure it's clean and nothing on it, just the phone.
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I´ve never had a scratch with iphones before, for years, obviously not counting when my iphone 5s fell to the floor

It scratches at level 6 on the hardness scale which is pretty typical of high-end smartphones. Saying "my previous phones never scratched" is like saying "I never had an accident in my previous cars" after having an accident in your current one and then blaming the manufacturer. .
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BarryH_GEG said:
It scratches at level 6 on the hardness scale which is pretty typical of high-end smartphones. Saying "my previous phones never scratched" is like saying "I never had an accident in my previous cars" after having an accident in your current one and then blaming the manufacturer. .
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Dude he's just making a comparison that's all.
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