According to MacRumors, the iPhone 17’s new Ceramic Shield 2 display material includes an integrated anti-reflective coating that reduces screen reflections by approximately 50 percent compared to the previous iPhone 16. However, testing conducted by accessory maker Astropad found that applying a standard screen protector without its own AR coating effectively cancels out this anti-reflective property. Astropad, which sells its own AR-coated screen protector called Fresh Coat, claims this happens because AR coatings are engineered for direct contact with air. The company says its Fresh Coat product can actually outperform the iPhone 17’s native coating, creating a surface nearly 4x less reflective than an iPhone 16 display and 2x less reflective than the bare iPhone 17 screen.
The Screen Protector Paradox
Here’s the thing. We buy these premium phones for their advanced features, right? Apple touts this new anti-reflective display as a big deal for visibility in sunlight. But then, out of habit or fear, we immediately slap a piece of plastic or glass over it. And according to this data, that instinct to protect might be making the screen experience worse than if you just went naked. It’s a classic tech dilemma: protecting your investment can sometimes degrade the very experience you paid for. So what’s the point of paying for the latest and greatest if you’re just going to cover it up with last-gen tech?
Astropad’s Stake in the Game
Now, we gotta be clear about the source. Astropad isn’t some neutral third-party lab. They’re promoting their own product, Fresh Coat. Their entire report, which you can find on their blog, is basically a giant advertisement for why you need their specific AR-coated protector. That doesn’t automatically mean their findings are wrong—the physics they cite about coatings needing air contact makes sense. But it does mean you should view the “2x better” claims with a healthy dose of skepticism. They have a very clear incentive to tell you the built-in coating isn’t enough.
What Should Users Do?
Basically, you’ve got a few choices. You can live life on the edge and go without a protector, trusting Ceramic Shield 2. You can seek out a screen protector that specifically mentions having an anti-reflective coating, though they’re rarer and probably more expensive. Or, you can just accept that your $1,000 phone will glare like last year’s model because you value scratch protection over optical clarity. For professionals who need precise color and minimal glare—think photographers or designers working on-site—this is actually a pretty big deal. For the average person scrolling Instagram at the beach? Maybe less so. But it’s a fascinating look at how one accessory can undermine a core engineering improvement.
