It appears that Apple has issued a directive precluding the sale of protective iPhone screen covers from its line of retail stores
Citing a number of vendors wishing to remain anonymous so as not to burn any bridges with Apple, Macworld is reporting that Apple is no longer allowing protective iPhone screen covers to be sold in Apple Stores. In case you’re unfamiliar, a number of companies sell thin pieces of plastic that stick to iPhone screens and work to prevent scratches, and in some cases, glare.
While Apple hasn’t explained the decision to vendors, there are a couple of likely explanations behind it. Multiple sources have told us that, because of the difficulty of applying such films and coverings without blemishes or air bubbles, these products are returned at a higher rate than many other products.
Having tried such films before, I can attest that they do indeed work magic, but at the same time aren’t entirely easy to put on perfectly on the first go around. If such products are indeed subject to a high rate of return, I can understand why Apple would be wary of housing them in their retail stores.
Another explanation, though, is that Apple isn’t a fan of the protective coverings because their mere existence implies that the iPhone screen isn’t robust enough on its own and needs 3rd party support to stay scratch free.
But it’s also possible that Apple doesn’t want to give the impression that screen protection is necessary, especially with the iPad on the way—it’s unlikely a coincidence that such a policy was put into effect just weeks before the iPad hits the street.
I suppose that sounds like typical draconian behavior from Apple, but Apple has taken significant steps to ensure that the screens on the iPhone and iPod Touch remain in fine working condition, and both are highly resistant to scratching and blemishes. If you recall, when the first iPhone was released in 2007, a number of individuals subjected the phone to stress tests to see how it fared against screen-unfriendly items like jagged keys and a pocket full of coins. The iPhone screen responded beautifully time and time again, and to this day, I still carry around my iPhone sans any protective covering and screen still looks spotless, aside from a few fingerprint marks that can only be seen under the right lighting and at a specific angle.
Still, is this a reason to outright ban these protective coverings from Apple retail stores? Well, if you know anything about Apple, they don’t need much of a reason to do anything. They just do as they please. One of the more curious tidbits, though, is that the ban also extends to include anti-glare screen protectors, a product which certainly has a place in today’s glossy screen type of world.
