If I place the iPad Pro down onto a hard surface, like a table, without a case on, will it scratch the back of my iPad and/or the camera bump?
Also, do I have to worry about the Apple Pencil scratching the screen?
iPad Pro, iPadOS 16
Encountering abrasive dust and grit in any most environments is inevitable - and as such, damage to unprotected cosmetic finishes is always possible. While the anodised finish of the iPad is a very resilient, it can be damaged. Similarly, the camera lenses can be damaged.
While it is always a personal choice, using a good quality case can protect the iPad and its camera from damage.
Turning to your iPad screen - these are also robust, but the anti-reflection treatment and oleophobic coating can be easily damaged by tiny grit/dust particles. The oleophobic coating is a chemical sacrificial layer that will wear-out over time.
A Screen Protector provides an additional defensive barrier - protecting both the original screen finish and the oleophobic coating. The downside is, perhaps, an increase in screen reflectivity and a slight reduction in contrast.
When using a finger, you can “feel” an abrasive particle - and will instinctively moderate finger pressure to avoid damage. The tip of the Pencil, by contrast, does not provide the same level of feel as does a fingertip. Contrary to what you might think, material science tells is that an abrasive particle will abrade a harder surface (the screen) before a softer surface (the pencil tip). This is because the abrasive particle will embed in the softer surface - and will be dragged across the harder surface.
Your iPad screen is the single most expensive component of your iPad; a screen protector is a sacrificial layer that is easy and relatively cheap to replace.
Some contributors here will suggest that a screen protector is unnecessary - whilst others may be more cautious, favouring the additional protection afforded by a screen protector. It’s entirely your choice.
Encountering abrasive dust and grit in any most environments is inevitable - and as such, damage to unprotected cosmetic finishes is always possible. While the anodised finish of the iPad is a very resilient, it can be damaged. Similarly, the camera lenses can be damaged.
While it is always a personal choice, using a good quality case can protect the iPad and its camera from damage.
Turning to your iPad screen - these are also robust, but the anti-reflection treatment and oleophobic coating can be easily damaged by tiny grit/dust particles. The oleophobic coating is a chemical sacrificial layer that will wear-out over time.
A Screen Protector provides an additional defensive barrier - protecting both the original screen finish and the oleophobic coating. The downside is, perhaps, an increase in screen reflectivity and a slight reduction in contrast.
When using a finger, you can “feel” an abrasive particle - and will instinctively moderate finger pressure to avoid damage. The tip of the Pencil, by contrast, does not provide the same level of feel as does a fingertip. Contrary to what you might think, material science tells is that an abrasive particle will abrade a harder surface (the screen) before a softer surface (the pencil tip). This is because the abrasive particle will embed in the softer surface - and will be dragged across the harder surface.
Your iPad screen is the single most expensive component of your iPad; a screen protector is a sacrificial layer that is easy and relatively cheap to replace.
Some contributors here will suggest that a screen protector is unnecessary - whilst others may be more cautious, favouring the additional protection afforded by a screen protector. It’s entirely your choice.
Alf2 wrote:
If I place the iPad Pro down onto a hard surface, like a table, without a case on, will it scratch the back of my iPad and/or the camera bump?
If you paid me to try to scratch my iPad Pro while placing it without a case on a hard surface, I believe I could figure out how to do that.
Using the iPad as normally used, scratching sounds highly unlikely.
iPad Pro scratching
