Although there are various reasons to forgo a screen protector, many users still prefer to use this accessory to protect their phone display. According to a poll by Android Authority with the participation of more than 5,000 people, about 64 percent of respondents use a screen protector.
Before examining ways to protect the display without a protector, it is better first to become familiar with how this accessory works. A screen protector is a thin layer made of plastic or glass that is placed on the smartphone’s display glass. This protector should have dimensions proportional to the phone’s screen and cover the majority of its surface.
A screen protector acts like a shield, protecting the display glass against scratches and cracking, and absorbs part of potential impacts. If the protector itself is damaged, it can be removed and replaced with a new one; an action that costs far less than replacing the damaged phone display.
High-end glass protectors may consist of several layers, each of which plays a specific role in reducing damage and absorbing impact. The outer layer usually resists oil and fingerprints, while the tempered glass layer has high hardness and can absorb part of the impact.
In some models, an adhesive layer is placed on the back of the tempered glass so that if the protector breaks, glass pieces remain in place.
In contrast, cheaper plastic protectors are usually made from materials such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). PET has appropriate resistance to scratches but provides almost no impact resistance. TPU has more impact resistance compared to PET, but in terms of durability it is not as resistant as glass.
Why does the touchscreen still work with a protector?
One common concern when using a screen protector is that this additional layer may reduce the phone’s touch sensitivity. Logically, it also seems that the thicker the protector, the more likely it is to affect touch performance.
However, most modern smartphones today use capacitive touchscreens. These displays are covered with a conductive material and detect changes in the electrostatic field that occur when a finger contacts the display surface.
Capacitive touch technology is widely used in smartphones due to its high accuracy in detecting touch location, suitable sensitivity, and the ability to support multi-touch.
As long as the screen protector is made of quality materials and is correctly installed, it generally should not have a significant effect on the performance of a capacitive touchscreen. However, the presence of air bubbles or dust between the protector and the display can increase the likelihood of touch performance disruption.
Even with a quality protector and correct installation, thicker models that use multiple layers to absorb impact may cause a slight delay in touchscreen responsiveness.
The thickness of some glass protectors may reach about 0.5 millimeters, while the thickness of some plastic protectors is only about 0.1 millimeters. Thin protectors generally cause less touch delay or do not cause such delay at all.
To reduce the likelihood of touch delay when using a thick glass protector, it is better to choose a protector specifically compatible with the phone model.