Let the blog see the rabbit...

Before I even took delivery of my iPhone, I had bought a Sena Eléga leather case and an Xtand. This limited my choices for protecting the device from scratches when it is out of the case as neither accessory allows for much increase in the dimensions of the iPhone.

However, having clumsily put my iPod nano in the same pocket as my keys once and scratched the screen, I was keen to avoid a repeat of this with my iPhone. Admittedly, this is less likely given that I have a leather case for my phone and so would be unlikely to put it in my pocket. Nevertheless, there's always the risk of dropping the device.

Having seen Chris Pirillo's video about protecting your iPhone, and having looked around online, I decided to get myself an invisibleSHIELD. The manufacturers, Zagg, claim, as the name suggests, that the product is virtually invisible when applied to the device, it causes no extra bulk and that it comes with a lifetime guarantee with free replacement should the invisibleSHIELD get damaged. I regard all of these claims to be false - more on that later.

Applying the invisibleSHIELD

I placed my order with Fire Lounge on Amazon and was impressed that despite choosing standard delivery, the product arrived the following day. Following the instructions printed on the inside of the box, I applied the product to my iPhone.

My first problem was that despite carefully cleaning both the device and my hands, some dirt got stuck to the underside of the invisibleSHIELD being applied to the screen and I could do nothing to remove it. However, it did prove quite easy to apply evenly and the supplied Shield Spray made it easy to adjust and avoid fingerprints.

I was quite disappointed with the accuracy (or lack of it) with which the invisibleSHIELD had been cut. While it didn't foul any of the buttons or the camera, overall, the back piece was significantly smaller than I felt it should have been - I had lined the right-hand edge flush (looking from the front) with the corner of the metal band on the right-hand side and the other side was well over a millimetre short.

Once applied, the instructions recommend leaving the device switched off for 24 hours to ensure that any excess installation solution evaporates and that the shield has "set up" properly. I can't imagine that many users will heed this advice as they will want to get on with using their device! Indeed, Chris Pirillo didn't even bother switching his device off to install his screen protector. That wasn't an invisibleSHIELD though and didn't involve a solution being applied. My impatience got the better of me after a couple of hours so I turned it on.

Initially, I was fairly pleased with the results (although very annoyed about the dirt, which seems to be a fairly common problem with screen protectors) and felt less concerned about my phone being damaged. The curved corners of the back of the device presented a problem for Zagg in terms of how to make a flat piece of sticky-backed plastic fit a three-dimensional curve. Their solution was not that satisfactory to my mind as it left a fair amount of the corners unprotected and of course, the corners of any device are likely to take the most punishment.

The problems start

After the invisibleSHIELD had had a chance to dry properly, I started using my xtand and Sena case again. The first problem was that the extra fraction of a millimetre thickness that had been added to the front and back made the phone much harder to remove from the leather case. This was something that Sena had warned about and advised that over time, the leather would adjust to the size of the phone.

After about a week of use, the flaps that so inadequately protected the corners of the device started peeling back as a result of inserting and removing the iPhone from the xtand. I used the Shield Spray once again and carefully restuck them, but after another couple of weeks, it was quite clear that this wasn't going to work so I cut them off.

Gradually, I became more dissatisfied with the invisibleSHIELD. That dirt speck irritated me more, particularly as the lifetime free replacements don't cover dirt, which was also now beginning to collect at the edges and corners.

Likewise, the slightly tacky texture (which is advertised as a feature - "Improves grip") was getting on my nerves as there was more friction on the touchscreen and the Home button was now slightly soggy to press - the nice positive click it makes when naked is absorbed by the plastic covering the button.

As the invisibleSHIELD is made of a flexible sticky-backed plastic, it doesn't have the sheer glossy finish of the iPhone screen, which detracts from the visual appeal of the device. This is probably a personal taste thing, as it certainly does mask fingerprints better for longer than even the oleophobic coating of the device's screen.

I decided to investigate the option of the promised free replacement as I would be prepared to give it another try without the annoying dirt. It turns out that you have to give Zagg your credit card details in order to receive a replacement. Not only do you pay the postage for delivery, you initially pay the full price of a new invisibleSHIELD, which is then only refunded if you send back your existing shield at your own expense within 25 days. Zagg recommend you use recorded delivery to avoid the loss of the shield in the post. As I am in the UK and they are in the US, it would cost me more in postage than to simply buy a new invisibleSHIELD on Amazon.

I finally give up

I spoke to a number of other iPhone users, none of whom bother with screen protection. Indeed frosty, who has had an iPhone for over a year, doesn't even bother with a case for his phone. His phone has fallen down a staircase and come out of it unscratched and he reports that it is still in good condition. He also quoted another SUCS member whose task it was, when working at Nokia, to find out what it took to scratch an iPhone. Apparently, the only thing he managed to make a mark with was another iPhone's screen.

On that basis, I have decided to remove the invisibleSHIELD from my phone and will not be seeking a replacement. It seems screen protectors are just not necessary unless you intend to take a dremel to the thing.