Apple uses a new generation of glass material called Ceramic Shield 2 on the iPhone 17 model and adds an anti-reflective coating to its surface, which is designed to significantly reduce screen reflection in strong light environments. This design did not exist on previous iPhone models. Actual measurement data from accessory manufacturer Astropad shows that compared to iPhone 16, iPhone 17 relies on this anti-reflective coating to reduce screen reflectivity by approximately 50%.
However, this native anti-reflective effect will be largely negated if the user applies a regular screen protector to the iPhone 17 that does not have an anti-reflective coating of its own. Astropad explained that the optical design of the anti-reflective coating is optimized for the boundary condition of direct contact with air. Once an additional layer of material is added, the original refraction and interference matching relationship will be destroyed, thereby greatly reducing the anti-reflective effect.
The background to Astropad's testing is that the company itself sells a screen protector called Fresh Coat, which also adds an anti-reflective coating to the surface of the protector. In its published light meter and controlled environment test results, Astropad claimed that a protective film with an anti-reflective coating can not only make up for the weakening of the iPhone 17's native anti-reflective performance by ordinary tempered film, but can even replace or even surpass the anti-reflective performance of the iPhone 17 screen itself in some scenarios. The official data is that the reflectivity of the screen after applying Fresh Coat is almost 4 times lower than the bare iPhone 16, and about 2 times lower than the bare iPhone 17 with Ceramic Shield 2. It is emphasized that all data are derived from a series of measurements using a light meter under controlled light source conditions. The detailed test process and data are compiled in a public report on the Astropad official website.
Astropad’s test is likely to influence the decisions of some users who plan to protect the iPhone 17: If you choose a protective film that does not have an anti-reflective coating, it will be a “waste” of Apple’s investment in screen glass and anti-reflective technology to a certain extent; while choosing a protective film with an anti-reflective design, you have the opportunity to maintain or even enhance visibility and anti-glare performance while protecting the screen. For users who are accustomed to using screen protectors for a long time, how to balance anti-scratch and anti-fall while maintaining or improving the look and feel of the screen may become a new consideration when purchasing iPhone 17 accessories.