Apple boss: "Seeing someone put tempered glass on the iPhone gives me goosebumps"
(Dan Tri) - Tom Marieb, Apple's new Vice President of Hardware Engineering, said he gets "goosebumps" every time he sees users adding a screen protector layer to their iPhones.
In a recent interview with TechRadar, Tom Marieb, Apple's new Vice President of Hardware Engineering, shared many details about Apple's process of developing durability for new iPhone models, from Ceramic Shield 2 to the complex hinge structure on iPhone Duo.
Notably, when talking about screen protection, the Apple leader gave a quite interesting share about the habit of using tempered glass or screen protectors of many users.
“Personally, every time I see someone putting a screen protector on an iPhone, I get goosebumps, because we put a lot of effort into creating beautiful screens,” Marieb shared.
Tom Marieb said he got "goosebumps" when he saw users adding a protective layer to the iPhone screen (Photo: Getty Images).
The above statement does not mean that Apple recommends that users should not use tempered glass. Instead, Marieb made the comment while explaining the engineering team's efforts to improve the durability of iPhone screens.
Apple wants a more durable screen without any trade-offs
One of the technologies mentioned by Marieb is Ceramic Shield 2.
According to Apple, the new generation of protective glass is 3 times more scratch resistant than the previous generation. However, improving the durability of a screen is not simply a matter of making the glass harder.
Marieb explains that the development team had to find a balance between scratch resistance and the coating's durability over time. Focusing too much on one characteristic can affect the other.
To evaluate durability, Apple performs acceleration tests that simulate years of real-world use in a shorter period of time.
Apple says Ceramic Shield 2 is 3 times more scratch resistant than the previous generation (Photo: Getty Images).
According to Marieb, the company can simulate about five years or more of real-world use in just a few weeks of testing. Apple also builds tests based on how customers use the device in real life instead of relying solely on traditional testing standards.
This is also the reason why the Apple leader seemed quite confident in Ceramic Shield 2 and made a statement about users applying an additional protective layer to the screen.
However, better scratch resistance does not mean the screen becomes completely immune to scratches or damage. Whether or not to use tempered glass or protective stickers still depends on each person's needs and how to use the device.
Especially proud of the iPhone Duo hinge
Besides Ceramic Shield 2, another detail that Marieb spent a lot of time sharing is the hinge on the iPhone Duo, Apple's first folding screen phone.
According to this leader, the hinge is one of the components that he is especially proud of.
Apple wants this structure to not only be sturdy when the phone is fully closed or open, but also to keep the device stable at intermediate opening angles. This is especially important when users place the device in different positions to use modes specific to the folding screen design.
Apple spent a lot of time optimizing the iPhone Duo hinge structure to maintain a solid feeling when closing, opening and using at different folding angles (Photo: Getty Images).
One of the factors that the engineering team focuses on is the torque of the hinge. Apple's goal is to create a solid feeling during the opening and closing process, avoiding a loose feeling on a device with a very thin body.
Marieb even compared the feeling of closing the iPhone Duo to closing the door of a high-end car.
The challenge is even greater when Apple has to create a folding screen phone with a thin design but still feels sturdy when held and used.
Screen fold problem
Another issue that is often of concern on folding screen phones is the fold that appears where the screen is constantly opening and closing.
On the iPhone Duo, Apple chose a matte nano-texture surface for the 7.6-inch internal screen.
According to Marieb, the glossy surface can make very small changes in the screen's shape more noticeable due to reflected light. Meanwhile, the matte finish reduces reflections and makes changes around the crease area less prominent.
Apple uses a matte nano-textured surface for the iPhone Duo's internal screen to reduce reflections and limit folds from becoming prominent (Photo: Getty Images).
Apple also placed emphasis on the long-term durability of the display and hinge.
When asked whether the crease would become more visible after long periods of use, Marieb expressed confidence in what the engineering team has developed and suggested that users can hold Apple responsible if the actual experience does not meet expectations.
Marieb's shares show that durability is one of the issues that Apple focuses on in the new generation of products, especially when the company enters the folding screen phone market.
As for regular iPhone users, even though Ceramic Shield 2 is promoted by Apple as having better scratch resistance, the decision to add tempered glass or not probably still depends on each person's risk tolerance.