Apple Top Executive Doesn't Want You To Use Screen Protector On iPhone: 'It Makes My Skin Crawl'

Apple's new Vice President of Hardware Engineering, Tom Marieb, dislikes iPhone screen protectors, saying it makes his 'skin crawl'.

19 Sep 2026, 12:43 · NDTV

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Tom Marieb dislikes when users apply screen protectors on iPhones with Ceramic Shield 2
Ceramic Shield 2 offers higher scratch resistance and durability than previous screens
Apple designed the screen coating to balance scratch and wear resistance for long life

How does Ceramic Shield 2 handle drop impacts?

Tom Marieb, Apple's new vice president of hardware engineering, has admitted that it makes his 'skin crawl' when users put a screen protector on their iPhones. Marieb made the statement while talking about Apple's Ceramic Shield 2, an advanced glass-ceramic screen and body protection technology, first introduced in iPhone 17, that apparently offers significantly higher scratch resistance and durability than previous generations.

Speaking to TechRadar, Marieb said the company worked hard to develop the 'beautiful front screens,' but to see them behind the screen protectors did not go down well with him.

“Personally, when I see someone put a screen protector on their iPhone, it makes my skin crawl, because we work so hard to make beautiful front screens,” said Marieb.

Marieb, who replaced the current Apple CEO John Ternus, explained that the hardware team set out with the goal to develop a screen coating that could be scratch- and wear-resistant.

“So we very much wanted to develop new coatings that could withstand [scratches], but also make sure that these coatings were wear-resistant as well," he said.

"We could have made it more scratch-resistant, but it would have been a little less wear-resistant. It's the long life we're looking for against both of those loads over time.”

Marieb added that Apple accounted for half a decade's worth of use by the customers while testing its Ceramic Shield 2 technology.

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Apple Launches iPhone 18

Launched earlier this month, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max come in black, silver, glacier, and a new burgundy colour. The phones feature a 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture and new Pro camera controls. They are powered by Apple's A20 Pro chip and a new vapour chamber aimed at improving performance, AI features, and battery life.

iPhone 18 Pro Price

The iPhone 18 Pro starts at Rs 1,64,900 for the 256GB model, while the 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB variants are priced at Rs 1,89,900, Rs 2,39,900, and Rs 3,14,900, respectively.

iPhone 18 Pro Max Price

The iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at Rs 1,79,900 for the 256GB variant. Its 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB variants are priced at Rs 2,04,900, Rs 2,54,900, and Rs 3,29,900, respectively.

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