A few weeks ago, the unthinkable happened. Not the iPhone that miraculously survived a 16,000 foot fall from an Alaska Airlines flight. While that was impressive, this was more personal. My daughter dropped her iPhone 13 Pro Max and it fell screen-first, landing on a small, hard object–a rock, perhaps. The result was a frightening impact mark on the front of the phone accompanied by a spider web of cracks.
I thought it was toast. It looked like someone had smacked it with a hammer.
Apple estimates the cost to replace a cracked screen on an iPhone 13 Pro Max like my daughters at $329 (or $29 if you sprung for AppleCare+). That’s plus any applicable sales tax, plus the time out of your day to travel to an Apple Store or other service provider to have the repair done. It’s not something you want to experience.
Fortunately, this iPhone had been equipped with a Spigen Glas.tR EZ Fit glass screen protector. I pulled the sheet of glass off the iPhone (it stayed in one piece despite the damage), revealing a pristine iPhone display beneath. Not a scratch.
Why I Love the Spigen Glas.tR EZ Fit Glass Screen Protector
I have installed this model of screen protector on a slew of iPhones in our house over the past few years. From potentially catastrophic drops (even on concrete) to the more mundane danger of keys in a pocket, I have had to replace a few of the screen protectors, but none of the iPhones has had to have a screen repair. With three college-age kids, I consider that a victory. The Spigen Glas.tR EZ Fit is doing the job. All without negatively impacting those bright OLED displays and without interfering in the use of cases.
The other reason I love the Spigen Glas.tR EZ Fit in particular, is its ease of application. I’ve had far too many subpar experiences over the years–screen protectors that end up slightly crooked, or slightly misaligned, or with maddening air bubbles that just won’t quite go away. They may still be functional, but having to see the imperfection every day would drive me crazy. The Spigen Glas.tR EZ Fit application system is virtually foolproof. The company includes a plastic tray specific to your phone model that ensures the glass screen protector is applied exactly in place. No eye-balling or repositioning required.
You can read more about the hands-on experience in my review from several years back, when I applied that screen protector to what was then my iPhone 13 Pro Max (before being handed down to my daughter).
Don’t Forget the Protective Case
As painful as an iPhone screen replacement can be, your wallet will take an even bigger hit if a dropped iPhone also results in the back glass being damaged. That’s an all-too plausible scenario. For that iPhone 13 Pro Max, the estimate cost to replace the glass back comes to a whopping $499.
So don’t forget to slap on a protective case as well. My daughter’s iPhone was protected by a Casetify Ultra Impact case (in a cool Powerpuff Girls Stickermania) scheme that provides heavy-duty drop protection while maintaining full MagSafe compatibility. A case like this helps keep the display safe if dropped dropped on a flat surface, as well as cushioning the sides, and protecting the back and camera bumps.
Protect Your Phone
Whether you are an iPhone owner or prefer Android, the lesson out of this experience is that smartphone screen protectors and cases are a good idea. From personal experience, I can recommend the Spigen Glas.tR EZ Fit screen protector and Casetify Impact phone cases, but there are also plenty of other options out there.
As good as your phone might look without being covered up by layers of protective plastic, glass, or leather, and as awesome as the advances being made in materials like ceramic and titanium in phone construction might be, one unfortunate drop is all it takes…
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