Buying a New Phone? You Can Probably Skip the Screen Protector

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Once upon a time, screen protectors were an absolute must for phones because screens were about as sturdy as chilled butter. These days? Not so much.

Full disclosure: I used to be religious about putting a screen protector on my phone. It got to the point that I would buy the protector ahead of purchasing the phone, so the second the cling film came off the screen, I could pop on the protector.

Today though? I haven’t had a protector on my screen in a couple of years. The glass technology has advanced so much there’s little to no chance the screen protector you buy will be harder, more durable, or have better anti-fingerprint technology than the super-strong Gorilla glass screen on your phone that’s coated with far more advanced anti-fingerprint and anti-glare coatings.

If your phone spends 90% of its day tucked safely in your pocket, what exactly are you protecting it from?

There are, of course, exceptions to the rule. Although my iPhone spends all day in my pants pocket, away from anything that could harm it. My wife’s iPhone spends all day in her purse, which is more like a wood chipper filled with makeup compacts and keys than the soft, secure pouch that is my pocket. In that case, we’re willing to use screen protectors to serve as ritual sacrifices to protect the actual screen of her phone.

For more info about why you can probably ditch your screen protector (and when popping one on is a good idea), check out our full treatment of the topic over at Review Geek.