Reports indicate that Apple’s plans for a more durable display on the iPhone 17 have been abandoned.
An anonymous source claims that plans for an anti-reflective, scratch-resistant display on the iPhone 17 have been scrapped.
Apple is known for its emphasis on the durability of the iPhone screens. For example, with the launch of the iPhone 16e, the company declared that its Ceramic Shield front was “tougher than any smartphone glass,” and independent testing has often supported these assertions.
The iPhone 17 series was expected to follow this pattern, especially after leaker “Instant Digital” mentioned in March 2024 that a new display coating was in development, which promised enhanced scratch resistance and anti-reflective properties.
However, a recent report from MacRumors cites a reliable anonymous source indicating that Apple has discarded this feature. The report suggests that while Apple intended to implement the new anti-reflective coating for the iPhone 17 Pro, they encountered scaling difficulties, as the application process was deemed “too slow” for mass production.
Historically, Apple has offered anti-reflective displays mainly for iPads and Macs. Earlier unibody MacBook Pros provided an option for a high-resolution matte display, and a similar nano-texture screen option is available on the current M4 MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and iMac.
It seems Apple aimed to introduce an anti-reflective display coating for the iPhone, but given the company’s marketing focus and patents, enhanced durability was likely the primary goal.
In 2020, with the iPhone 12 release, Apple launched the Ceramic Shield in collaboration with Corning, which also produced the Gorilla Glass Armor found on the Samsung S24 Ultra.
Apple has frequently supported Corning’s research, contributing $45 million in 2021, adding to an investment total of around $850 million since 2017.
It remains uncertain whether the iPhone 17 lineup will feature any new durability-enhancing technology or if the concept has truly been abandoned. Apple sometimes discontinues iPhone features during development, and there have been no recent updates regarding a scratch-resistant display for the iPhone 17.
While the source behind this latest information on the iPhone 17 display is unclear, it does seem plausible. Thus, we’ve categorized this rumor as “Possible.”