GoKawiilApple’s iPhone 17 Pro is a big improvement over the more fussy iPhone 16 Pro. The vapor chamber and switching to aluminum from titanium both make a noticeable difference in sustained performance and improved thermal management. However, my favorite hardware improvement in years isn’t limited to the Pro series.
Ceramic Shield scratched easily and often
Don’t get me wrong. I really appreciate the improved thermal management system in the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. But thermal throttling mostly bothered me on my iPhone 16 Pro Max when my display would go dim in outdoor lighting.
Scratches always bothered me.
In recent years, my iPhone display was always covered in subtle scratches that you only really noticed in low lighting — like indoors. They were especially visible when the screen was off. I’m convinced this is why always-on display was invented.
While soft scratches gathered all over the cover glass, the worst was the one or two deep scratches that managed to almost dig into the display. My satisfaction with my iPhone always dropped as soon as the first deep cut appeared.
The problem, I think, was Ceramic Shield. Apple engineered the cover glass to be more durable against drops. This means fewer cracked screens after common drops. The cost? A “softer” glass that was evidently more susceptible to showing other signs of wear and tear.
By the end of year one, the resale value of my iPhone was lower as a result.
Ceramic Shield 2 makes a real difference
Apple changed the formula with the iPhone 17 line. The company says Ceramic Shield 2 cover glass is three times more resistant to scratching. That’s exactly what the iPhone has needed, and Ceramic Shield 2 is on every new model.
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