As the value included in our smartphones and other mobile devices increases, so does our necessity to keep them safe and unspoiled. We all know that one person who accidentally dropped, scratched or managed to crack their screen inside the first month of life in their possession and it is definitely not a good feeling.
While the technology in smartphone screens is improving and mobile device manufacturers are finding out and switching to new kinds of molds and materials to keep your gadgets safe, until they manage to come up with an impossible to break, transparent kryptonite surface (or at least the sapphire screens that have been rumored so much in the past months), this will remain a danger to all of us.
A scratch in your phone’s display is not only an extremely unpleasant thing to have to stare at as you’re trying to decipher what is going on on your screen, but also a problematic thing to deal with in terms of phone usage.
Considering mobile phone control has transitioned from buttons to touch screen interaction years ago, if your display is not responding in any portion or degree, no matter how small, you should probably be looking at an exchange as soon as possible – whether it’s just your screen or a new device altogether.
Overview of Zagg Invisible Shield Glass
But here’s a point where companies like ZAGG come in and try to make our lives easier. Even if they won’t be giving us that kryptonite shield that we’re wishing for, they are giving us the next big thing that comes sort of close to it in a way. ZAGG’s most impressive, and currently flagship product, the Invisible Shield is one of a kind.
It won’t make your screen unbreakable, but it will, in essence, place a second glass screen on your phone just like the thin plastic covers we’ve been getting used to over the past years, just this time around we would be looking at a much more solid protection. This isn’t replacing your need of a case but it doesn’t hinder your chances at placing one on your phone either.
So what is the Invisible Shield? It’s a 0.4 millimeter thin layer of glass that presents an adhesive side to attach to your phone display safely and an oil resistant nano-coating on the other side to reduce smudging and dust buildup. It’s not the exact same material or construction that you will be seeing on your Apple phone, but comes the closest you can get.
While the layer is incredibly thin, on a device such as the iPhone 6 for example, a phone that sports curved edges, it won’t pass by unnoticed since it doesn’t fully cover the entire surface, off to the very edge. But the design is still made in such a way that it won’t bother you with a sharp edge or have things catch in it accidentally.
So instead of having your phone’s screen subjected to dings, dents, scratches and cracks, the Invisible Shield is there is take the brunt of the impact, making the potential unfortunate happening less cringe worthy as the shield is easily replaceable and will give you the guarantee that no crack will be passing through it to directly affect your phone.
Sure, there’s only so much a screen and protective screen can take, and you shouldn’t be expecting an indestructible surface that will save your phone from collisions with car tires or 10 story drops, but it surely make the stress of having your phone in your pocket or bag along with keys or other objects lesser than usual.
Zagg Invisible Shield Glass Installation
The thing that would normally have me go all the way to a store and plead with the employees there to have them do it for me was always applying regular plastic screen protectors. No matter how efficient the aids in the package they give you are, I was never, ever able to apply one of those layers and removing all of the air bubbles underneath.
Occasionally I would actually end up destroying the screen protector, or at least giving it a handful of scratches on the first day while applying it and battling the annoying bumps.
Image Source: ytimg.com
While air bubbles can still make their way underneath the glass shield when applying it, removing them is a lot easier and unlike the regular plastic screen protectors, it won’t gather dust particles as you’re trying to apply it, thus increasing the chance of air sticking below the glass surface.
The Zagg InvisibleShield only requires you to clean your phone or tablet of choice with the included cloth and wipe the screen to remove possible dirt and smudges. Aligning the Invisible Shield on the phone surface is marginally easier considering you don’t have to deal with a bendy layer of plastic and matching the protector’s predesigned gaps for the home buttons is not as tricky. With the help of two yellow tabs on each side of the protective screen, centering and placing it on top of your phone’s display becomes almost impossible to fail. By simply pressing on the center of the Invisible Shield, any existent air bubbles automatically move towards the edge and immediately disappear with no further hassle. Pull off the yellow layer after positioning and mission complete.
Effect & Protection
User reviews suggest that the protection that Zagg InvisibleShield offers seems to handle a lot of situations where your phone’s wellbeing is put in peril. There have been stories of phones covered by the screen protector falling, hitting edges, or having things drop on top of them. In most cases, the shield did not even register scratching, but in all the other scenarios, the protector took all the damage, leaving the phone unscathed.
Along with a plastic or rubber bumper, I’m sure the phone receiving the Zagg’s screen protector could withstand most light to medium impacts and won’t have your heart racing if you drop your phone from a standing height onto flat surfaces. In fact there are several fan made YouTube videos travelling around that demonstrate how much a smartphone can take while being protected by this particular product and the results we are shown are pretty encouraging.
Image Source: gigaom
Being 0.4mm thin, the Zagg InvisibleShield does not add to your phone’s weight or general bulk, leaving things looking almost the same way as always. Thanks to the fact that the glass shield doesn’t extend all the way to the edges in most if not all models supported leaves you with enough space to fit a case or bumper on your phone to add up to the safety of your device.
Depending on which kind of case or back protector you go for, do note that your smartphone’s edges would still be subjected to risk of damage due to their construction.
People using the invisible shield on numerous models have not made any complaints to the visibility, clarity or detail that their devices showcase when the shield is applied. Where regular, plastic screen protectors would make a phone’s display look or feel slightly different, depending on case, the glass panel that Zagg offers really doesn’t change a thing.
There is literally no change to the visibility of your screen, looking at your display from an angle is just as clear as it would be on a regular display and touch controls are not phased or dragged down the slightest by the fact that there’s a 0.4mm extra layer of glass laying on top of your display. Most of the time you won’t even be able to tell there’s a screen protector sitting on your phone.
Zagg Offers & Warranty
In comparison to regular, plastic screen protectors, Zagg’s glass protector will come at a slightly spicier price – $34.99. However, one purchase of the product will earn you a life-time long warranty and, as proven above, way more advantages than the plastic versions that you would end up changing every other few weeks or months regardless.
The Zagg InvisibleShield product family comes with 3 different types of screen protectors: the original Premium Protection, the HDX HD Clarity + Extreme Shatter Protection or the Glass version, highlighting maximum clarity and ultra smooth protection.
The Premium Protection version offers the most powerful scratch protection, featuring self-healing which will make minor scratches disappear in a matter of a day or two. It has a medium protection against shattering and doesn’t put that much of an effort into imitating a glass-like surface, yet still scored a 93% on image clarity after applying it.
The Glass version has a self healing capability that will kick in in up to 9 hours and nearly perfect scratch protection. Shattering risks are reduced considerably as well, but in this case the surface does receive a lot more focus: the surface is smooth tempered and will show off perfect clarity at the cost of some shattering protection. Otherwise, it’s the best visual clarity you can get, making it virtually invisible.
Lastly, the HDX HD option seems to be the most balanced version, offering both scratch and shatter protection, with a 99% clarity glass-like surface.
Zagg is particularly confident regarding their products, and to show that off to their customers, they offer lifetime long warranty on their invisible shield. All of these variants above are covered by the warranty, stating that if your InvisibleShield glass protector shows signs of wear or scratches, they will replace it with no questions asked.
Image Source: the gadgeteer
The procedure is relatively simple: if your glass protector requires replacing, all you have to do is log into your Zagg account, fill in a form concerning the nature of the incident that damaged the product and provide your address and credit card information. As long as you return the damaged product within 60 days of receiving your replacement (and do note that the ordeal does cost you approximately $6 for postage), you can get as many new Invisible Shields as you would ever need for your device.
To me, that sounds like a great deal that solves both your trouble of damaged equipment and keeps the company clear of abuse while still offering a great deal for its customers. If you don’t return the damaged protector you might be subjected to additional charges for the full retail price of the product.
Here is a list of popular devices that Zagg has turned their protective gaze on and offer their InvisibleShield Glass for:
- Apple: iPad 1 / 2 / 3, iPhone 3G / 3GS, iPhone 4 / 4s, iPhone 5 / 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air 2, iPad Air, iPad mini 3, iPad mini, Apple iPod touch 4th generation, iPod Nano 1st through 6th generations;
- Samsung: Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Samsung Galaxy S II, Samsung Galaxy S3, Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Galaxy S5, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, Samsung Galaxy Nexus;
- HTC: HTC EVO 4G, HTC One classic and S / X / VL / VX / SV, HTC Desire C, HTC 7, HTC Sensation 4G;
- LG: LG Optimus L9 / G, LG Nexus 4 E960, LG 290CM, LG 4650, LG 500G, LG 8360;
- Motorola: Motorola Droid RAZR HD/RA / M / MAXX, Motorola Defy XT / Mini XT320, Motorola Photon Q 4G, Motorola Atrix 2 / 4G / HD, Motorola Admiral;
- Sony: Sony Xperia J / T / Z / V / Z / ZL / X10 Mini / Ion, Sony Alpha A580 / DSLR A350 / DSLR A700 / DSLR A850, Sony Vaio VGN-NW125J / VGN-CR590 / E14 / Duo 11.
For a complete list of supported devices, including a search engine to help you find your exact device model and particular offers, including purchases and other accessories provided to Zagg, you can visit their official InvisibleSHIELD Glass website here: https://www.zagg.com/invisibleshield/index.php