Review: invisibleSHIELD iPhone Screen Protector

Though it came as a surprise to absolutely no one, along with the Apple iPhone has come an absolute barrage of accessories and other products to pair with your iPhone, leaving all of us with a sea of merchandise to sort through and evaluate. Slowly but surely, feedback will be available on all of these products. Some things, however, are important to be informed about right from the get-go. Depending on the person you're asking, virtually any mobile phone accessory can be considered essential. One that should be, without argument, considered essential for all PDAs is a screen protector. When considering that typical PDAs are commonly more expensive than less featured mobile devices and the usage more intense, protecting one's investment should be considered a must. Thus, the first accessory each one of you should buy for your iPhone (yes, before the fancy Bluetooth headset), is a screen protector.

Update: The invisibleSHIELD is now available for the iPhone 4 and iPad 2.
Update: The invisibleSHIELD for the Apple iPad is now available (04/03/09)
Update: The invisibleSHIELD for the iPhone 3G S is now available (06/10/09)

The problem is, you've got dozens to choose from, most of which aren't worth your money or effort to apply. I've had experience with numerous different brands, all of which came at a relatively high cost (usually around $20 a pack) and offered extremely disappointing results. One other thing that each of these brands had it common was that each required, through various suggested methods, that they be cut to fit your device once arriving home. Consistently, each offered bubbly application results, poor clarity, and a short life span due to the fact that the protectors themselves were easily marred and scratched.

A few weeks before the iPhone was released, I decided to try moving up in the world of screen protectors. After talking to a few trusted colleagues, I decided to make my first foray into the screen protector upper crust with ZAGG's line of screen protectors, the invisibleSHIELD. Suffice it to say, I was skeptical. The invisibleSHIELD typically costs between $15-$25 for one protector, a price for which I was used to getting a pack of 8-12 protectors.

ZAGG makes an extremely boastful array of claims for it's flagship product line, the invisibleSHIELD. Specifically, ZAGG states, "invisibleSHIELD is the toughest, most durable gadget scratch protection film available on planet Earth" ... and they're just getting started. They describe the protectors as "invisible", "invincible", strong enough to protect helicopter blades traveling hundreds of miles per hour, and even go so far as to impart "self healing" properties to the urethane plastic which the invisibleSHIELD is made of. The website features pictures of someone attempting to tear the protector apart and even puncture the shield with a pencil, failing on both accounts. Finally, according to ZAGG, each protector comes pre-cut to custom fit your device perfectly.

Okay, enough, I'm sold. Let's check these out.

The Package

The invisibleSHIELD comes with the shield components, a tapered black plastic squeegee, and a small, misting bottle of spray solution which is intended to aid in the application of the protector to your device. The iPhone full body protector, unlike the other full body protector we received, comes with two bottles of the solution.

package.jpg

Durability

Considering ZAGG's momentous claims about the durability of the invisibleSHIELD, I decided to test that first. As mentioned above, ZAGG shows images depicting plenty of different stress tests on their protectors. So, I figured I'd try a couple of my own. Instead of their pen test, I figured I'd try to bust through the shield with a fork. Using some test material sent along by the company with the actual protectors I ordered, I placed the material over a four pronged fork and pulled. Much to my delight, the material performed as promised. Until I could no longer keep a grip on the plastic, the urethane stretched and stretched, ever more conforming to the fork, but not puncturing.

puncture.jpg

My scratch test yielded similar results. Using first my trusty fork and subsequently a pair of scissors (opened to expose the sharp blade), I scraped away at another sheet of the invisibleSHIELD scrap material. Again, as promised, the shield performed as touted. None of the fork or scissor strokes left any observable scratches on the material. Later, once I had applied my invisibleSHIELD to my iPhone, I worked up the courage to try a few fork strokes along the screen of the protected iPhone. Much to my delight, the iPhone and the invisibleSHIELD emerged unscathed.

scratch.jpg
Since you might not believe the scratch test took place, at least this photo shows how smooth and clear the invisibleSHIELD is even with my hasty appliation

Application

The installation instructions that come with the invisibleSHIELD urge both care and patience. Due to my lack of the latter, I tend to abandon the former. So, what follows is a description of a hasty application of the invisibleSHIELD. Luckily, I had my Samsung Blackjack handy to try first, hoping to get better results out of the iPhone as a second victim.

Both applications turned out to be far easier than expected. Using the provided spray and squeegee, it was surprisingly simple to correctly position each piece of the protector. More importantly, smoothing air bubbles out from under the plastic was a breeze. Though other protectors may ship with a similar accompaniment, the invisibleSHIELD application spray is presumably the lifesaver here. Having only performed dry applications before, and achieving less than desirable results, the liquid made the application smooth and effortless. The included squeegee, in my opinion, is heads and tails above using more credit card like tools to smooth out wrinkles and bubbles.

One common sense tip - start with the back first. That way you can get your feet wet on an area of the device where you won't offend yourself by not doing the job perfectly.

Fit

The invisibleSHIELD for the iPhone fits perfectly. It's almost shocking how well it handles the fluid shape of the device. The protector I tried on my Blackjack faired almost as well, but there were a few pieces that I couldn't figure out where to put.

Clarity

So, is the invisibleSHIELD truly invisible? Of course not. Will you, at times, almost forget it's there? Probably.

Once you've completed a modestly capable application (I got good results on my first try), you'll be surprised how clear and unnoticeable the invisibleSHIELD is, even on the non-screen areas of the device where illumination from the LCD doesn't help hide the protector's presence. You'll mostly notice the protector by it's feel, rather than by sight.The screen protector will begin to become more apparent as it dirties, and the invisibleSHIELD is quite good at picking up fingerprints, dust, and smudges. This, however, is likely no different than the surface of the device your protecting had you not applied an invisibleSHIELD to it.

Texture/Touch

Though this probably isn't a topic of interest in most screen protector reviews, for the iPhone it is. As the iPhone is operated almost exclusively via it's touch screen - it's important to know what a prospective protection material feels like. Something incredibly sticky could potentially inhibit use as might a material that roughs up easily or becomes scuffed.If there's one area where the invisibleSHIELD is less than ideal, and there almost isn't, it's here. After application, once any residual application spray dries off, the screen protector becomes a bit tacky. Though light, graceful strokes of a finger won't bother it at all, heavily pressured strokes can drag or "stutter" across the tacky surface. Women (or men, I suppose) with long fingernails might also find invisibleSHIELD catchy. It's worth noting that in the 10 or so days between applying the invisibleSHIELD and writing this review, that the tackiness seems to have reduced significantly. The slight tackiness actually pays off big time on the back of the device (for the full body invisibleSHIELD) by greatly reducing the inherent slipperiness of the iPhone.

Overall

Put simply, I've been introduced to a whole new world in screen protection. After a couple of years of dealing with what are apparently bargain basement screen protection products from companies like 3M and Fellowes, ZAGG's products have significantly upped the bar.

The invisibleSHIELD delivered handily on all of it's promises (though I can't speak much to the "self-healing aspect" since there's been nothing to heal as of yet). It's also more than worth mentioning that all of ZAGG's products ship completely free and are all covered by a free lifetime replacement guarantee. Even if you need to send your phone in for repair, and have to remove the screen protector first, ZAGG will send you a brand new one.

The Apple iPhone invisibleSHIELD is also available in a front only model for $14.95. The full body model costs $24.95.Update: This review also applies to the invisibleSHIELD iPod Touch Screen protector.

Products reviewed: invisibleSHIELD Apple iPhone Screen Protector, invisibleSHIELD Samsung Blackjack Screen Protector

The invisibleSHIELD screen protector for the iPhone is available directly through invisibleSHIELD.com and includes free shipping.

Here you can find more info, including ordering options, about the invisibleSHIELD for the Apple iPad.

Comments

I bought for my Curve Blackberry cell phone. First thing you must understand is that I am very "anal," and very particular visually. Only thing I didn't like about invisibleSHIELD is I wish they warned you more when installing to be careful not to get your fingertips smeared on the screen or to try to peal off once you have applied. I pealed back a corner, and a small piece isn't laying smoothly.

With all of that said, I LOVE THIS PRODUCT!! You really need to focus when you are applying the product so you do it correctly. The most important piece for me was the piece over the screen. This is the piece that I have a small fingerprint on and the corner piece I pealed back. Initially, there were bubbles also in the middle of the screen which initially DROVE ME CRAZY!! I was going to take the product back, but decided to carefully keep pressing on the bubble sections with my fingernails. After a few days the bubbles disappeared like they said, and I am very VERY happy with the product!!

I hope this helps someone else. Its not perfect, but it is close and the screen doesn't smear or hold fingerprints on the outside surface. Would recommend to friends, family and strangers...just be careful when applying!

One other comment to my own above entry...to get practice, I would apply the other pieces first, and save the screen piece for last. This is the most important piece since you will be looking at your screen thought this piece so you want to work out all the "kinks" on the side and back pieces. :-)

Agreed on almost all accounts ... one note ... the fingerprint issue can be avoided by following Zagg's instructions and making sure to generously spray the ShieldSpray on your fingers before touching the screen.

Otherwise, do a careful job but don't go crazy. Like the instructions say, small imperfections will work themselves out over a few days.

I have the invisibleSHIELD on all my gadgets and will until someone invents something better. Right now, all competitor products PALE in comparison.

Within a week it started coming off of my iPhone. Couldn't be more disappointed. I got mine from a shop in the local mall. The kid that installed it must have been high or something. But I would NOT recommend this product to anyone. I thought the screen shield would stay on but no, it's starting to come loose right underneath THE button.

Very disappointed! DON'T GET THIS!

I had a front invisibleshield on my 3G for almost a year... no problems. Now I have a 3GS and I also applied a front shield immediately. Both screen protectors are still on. The feeling on your finger is a little different but I like the more rubber texture. They are not sticky.

Don't buy this it's a disaster!
After a few days it started to peel at edges.
Fluff then stuck at edges making the whole thing look
really tacky. I ended up removing it and replacing with
a normal screen protector which looks good and has lasted.
The invisibleshield was a Easter of 14.99.

Right - I have just got my new iphone 3Gs and was looking to keep it protected without having unnecessary bulk so decided to go for the full body invisibleshield protector.
I can't say I'm disappointed but on the other hand I'm not 100% happy. My advice is don't buy the invisishield full body protector for reasons I will outline below.

The invisibleshield front screen is fine although I would have preferred the edges to extend right up to the chrome edge but thats just a minor observation.

The main issue I have is the shielding for the back of the iphone - the shield comes as a flat piece with the 4 edges looking similar to a puzzle piece and this is where it goes a bit wrong. The four corners are a bit of a nightmare - I actually watched the youtube Zagg advert on how to install - you have to keep kneading the corners and using the palm trick, which can be a pain as there are 4 corners and obviously only 2 hands and applying direct pressure to all 4 sides at the same time does pose a problem - maybe get the missus to help. The corners look really bad to start with but after 10min of continuous work you finally manage to get the edges to stick down without any airbubbles\minor folds.

So there it was all done and dusted - now mine is a white iphone - the majority of the invisishield does not look too bad but my eye keeps focussing on the 4 edges with all the surrounding gaps and wonder how long it will take before the puzzle like edges begin to snag or lift due to the phone going in and out my pocket - so my final decision....I left the full body kit on as I had paid for it but choose to add some extra protection and bought an iSkin Solo from the US - yes it adds a tiny bit of bulk but probably better than invisibleshield in the long run and it covers the chrome edging which means you can put the phone facedown without the screen touching a gritty surface and being scratched.

Adding to the above my missus has just got out of the car tonight and dropped her iphone on the driveway facedown - absolutely no damage or marks and she has the iSkin Solo FX cover on.

PS....if you do buy the iSkin over the invisibleshield don't bother with the FX version as that one has the mirror screen protector which is absolutely useless in sunlight and even worse if you wanted to take a picture as all you see is a reflection of yourself rather than what the lens is seeing.

Anyway this is my honest opinion on the invisishield - - it's ok as a screen protector but it's major letdown are the 4x corners if you have the full body kit.

Laters....

I don't know what all the hype is about these screen protectors, they caused me nothing but problems.

1. No way you can apply it without touching the backing. Backing is very sticky and attracts fingerprints.

2. Sticky side attracts dust immediately after removing the protective backing

3. They include a wet sponge to help apply the screen protector. NO WAY am I putting liquid on the face of my iPhone.

4. Not worth $23. Will look for alternatives.

So, you refuse to follow the directions (use the sponge/solution), then complain that it doesn't work? Wow.

I just got my iPod touch for Xmas and also got an invisible shield. The only problem are these hair lines I can see. Also the guy who installed it didn't do the best job ever. I'm pretty content though, I can barely tell it's there. I recommend getting this product, it's a good investment

One of the beauty’s of the Iphone is the sleek sexy feel...wrapping it in orange peel isn’t the way forward.

I had a invisible shield (not invisible at all) for about 1week before it sent me crazy n I ripped it off n binned it..!!

it looked n felt awful. as we seem to need one can anyone recommend a smooth slick screen protector
or better still cant apple do it ..they have the inside technology sorted. why not work on the outer case too?

Paul

i'm the guy that usually ends up installing protectors for friends and family. i'm not clumsy, i'm actually quite good with my hands. i've installed several of the cheap screen protectors on cell phones with no trouble.

i destroyed my invisible shield within about 5 minutes of opening the package. i followed the instructions word for word, but i was trying to get the bubbles out, i was getting concerned with how crappy it looked. there were a couple bubbles that were absolutely not coming out either. so i peeled it back and tried to sponge more of the 'application solution' on (what exactly is this by the way? just water? does it activate some kind of adhesive on the shield itself?) but then bits of the sponge got stuck to the shield. they DO NOT come off.

it looks like earlier versions came with a spray bottle of this mysterious solution. i hope for future consumers sake, Zagg goes back to this option.

one more thing that nobody has mentioned yet - this is the most INSANELY over-packaged product i have ever seen. enough cardboard for a box of granola bars - yet the shield itself is just bigger than a business card.

i find it hard to say that this product is crap because there are obviously a lot of people that can make it work , but for me, it turned out to be a $28 mirco-fiber cloth. to their credit, after i contacted Zagg, they said they'd replace it as a one-time good faith gesture, but i'd of course have to send it back, and then roll the dice on another installation.

ask around your circle of friends and find someone that has successfully installed one before you buy it.

I have to say, that I appreciate my iPhone protector. There's so many out there, but not so much that you can rely on. Although, the one I have is the
Apple iPhone 3G / 3G S Regular Mirror Frosted Back LCD Screen Protector. It does the job well! I got mine from http://www.bargaincell.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2830_3202 and you can get plenty of other iPhone accessories here for great prices!

Again, I recommend you get an iPhone protector. You'll regret it if you don't.

I bought this product from the my gear store. At first it was bubbly then sealed overnight. Several days later it started pealing at the edges and it started to reseal itself less as the days passed. Eventually I ripped it off as it became worse and annoying after one month. I went to the website and looked up the lifetime warranty. If u buy other than at their website there no warranty bit replacement. Here's the bad news, they will charge your credit card shipping and the new retail price of a replacement. U have 25 days to return the bad product or they bang ur card. I find this disturbing. Why couldn't I return the product and just pay shipping On the return and they pay for product replacement. It apperas to be a trap to whack u 2 shipping fees and say they never received and whack u for a new one. It's not worth the gamble. Product replacement with one shipping fee as the product failed to meet expectations. Thumbs down on this product.

Hey everyone, I got a sweet deal going on right now with these.

This link:
tinyurl(DOT)com/zagg20

+

This code:

"ZAGG20"

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20% off EVERYTHING from InvisibleSHIELD

Let me first say that I never reply to reviews but I am so pleased with this product that I feel I should say why. I applied the full body protector to my iPhone in 07/2009 I think, and it is still performing flawlessly. I am a heavy equipment contruction mechanic (local 302 baby!) and my phone hasn't had the best of care. I am getting another one for my new 3GS and another for this 3G when I give it to my daughter. 5 stars and 2 thumbs up for this product!
K-

I bought this thinking it would be the last one i ever bought..
Let me tell you i hated it ..
It attracted oils and almost anything that didn't stick to stuff stuck to this protector..
I finally had enuf of the invisible shield due to it getting Grimey and had to clean it almost daily ..
i was walking in the mall and saw Ghost Armour .. and they had a big nasty ball of invisible shields that that had taken off customers phones..
this this was disgusting.. no wonder my screen looked dimmer with this thing on after a few months..
it was retaining oil and dirt!

I noticed a huge difference on the feel and texture of the ghost armour compared to zagg's product..
IT was hands down better..
I will never buy an invisible shield again.. and i am returning my invisible shield back to zagg without requesting a replacement. and it will be tucked away in the retail sleeve of the ghost armour..
Heed my advice .. stay away!

This screen protector is utter junk, I have installed many screen protectors in the past. I used to use Power Supports for the iPhone, but theirs is not being released till July 26, so I bought the invisible shield, what a mistake, this is a piece of junk. It is made of thin stretchy plastic, once I got it on it looked like hell, and I did a pretty nice job of puttting it on, tried adding an iFrogz case to my phone and the edges peeled right off picking up dirt and lint, now I have bubbles galore, going to take back the screen protector to see if I can get my money back.

I have had a couple of devices covered by ZAGG with the InvisibleSHIELD. The InvisibleSHIELD is a good product, but it depends largely on the quality of the installation which ZAGG performs through booths at malls, in my case at the Brea Mall in California. The first device was my teenage son's cell phone which has withstood his abuse. The second was my iphone. The Zagg installer took two hours to install it, well beyond the 40 minutes they ask you to wait. She told me that she was struggling to make a corner stick and if it came undone just to bring it back. It came undone, and an attendant who was working at the Brea location at about 4:30 pm on July 16, 2010, lectured me on the product warranty covering the InvisibleSHIELD but not the labor for re-installing it which would cost $10. Hence while InvisibleSHIELD provides its product warranty to ZAGG, ZAGG does not cover their installation which may in fact ruin a perfectly good SHIELD. My advice....don't depend on ZAGG to properly train the installers ...the $10 re-installing charge is a margin maker for ZAGG plain and simple. Pretty shoddy...read the fine print.

I have a question. Is the bumper for the iphone 4 compatible with the invisibleSHIELD? Meaning will the bumper mess with the protector?

I use the Invisishield with my iPhone 4 bumper and I have no issues. There may be times that the edge might bubble, but that was due to me taking the bumper off. Once I smoothed it back down, I had no issues. It works just fine.

I bought two of them for the iPhone 4one for me, and one for my son.

Well the first one was okay, did exactly what it said, and it went on. The trick is to wet both sides and your fingers with the spray. I got it on with no streaks or bubbles (yea!).

The next one was a disaster. The back paper back of the shield would not peel off. It appeared that it had gotten too hot at some point and was ruined.

Now to get a replacement for a DOA product it will cost me 1/3 of the price of the shield! Customer service? Don't bother you can't get through and they won't respond to your emails EVER!

Even though you the first one went on nicely I can still see orange peel when the light hits it right. Not a big problem, but it does distract from the sleekness of the iPhone.

Also since I have the bumper case it tends to cause the edges to begin to peel or bubble up. So they actually work against each other. Shield to protect the from scratches or no bumper case.

The biggest problem with the bumper is I use the iPhone while jogging using the a pedometer with it. If you hold the iPone that has a bumper case and the invisible shield on it the case gives just enough to cause it to dig into the edges of the shield and cause it to begin to peel off.

Bottom lines

1. I shouldn't have to pay a thing for a defective product period. ( I realize the cost of warranty items etc, but DOA is different).

2. They need one that will either clear the bumpers or wrap so the edges will not peel up when using one (and NO the full body doesn't work because it's not one piece.)

3. Orange peel. As good as it might be there will always be orange peel no matter how well you put it on.

4. It does keep you from getting scratches on your phone.

Recommend? Save your money.

I bought the InvisiShield for my iPhone 4 (which I just received less than a month ago). I accidentally dropped my iPhone 4 and the touchscreen shattered. Thanks to my Invisishield, it kept the glass in tact and the glass did not cut through. My phone is still working for now (until I send for a replacement) but I am glad I am still able to use my iPhone 4 in the meantime. I thought this screen protector was way too expensive, but now I understand why it is. If you have any doubts about buying it, you won't be sorry. If it can completely seal in shattered glass on my touchscreen while the screen is still smooth to the touch, then image how well it will protect the screen on your phone.

The Invisible Shield for iPhone 4 is certainly not for me. Difficult to put on. I am an engineer and thought I would be ok, but few tiny bubbles persit even after a week. Edges have tendency to come undone and curl or lift. Gummy rubbery feeling, far cry from smooth glass surface. I dislike the orange peel type surface...another far cry from glass surface. Disappointment from A to Z. It goes back and Power Support gets tried.

I got the invisible shield and was excited to use it, however was quite disappointed afterwards. It's grippy on the screen, when i glide my fingertip on the touchscreen it feels like my fingertip is being tugged. Also, you can tell that there is a layer of plastic over your screen and it takes away a bit of the resolution. A lot of dust also cling onto it easily, which is annoying to brush off constantly. On top of all that, it slides and peels off after using it for a while. The only good thing i can say about it is that it gives you a good grip for the back side of your phone. Overall, i wouldn't recommend getting this screen protector. I peeled mine off and stuck on a high-quality Japanese-made screen protector, Momex - it looks and feels like you don't have a protector on your screen, and it does its job well. If i were you, i'd opt for a Japanese-made one.

Used the Invinsibleshield for my iPhone and BB, my $20 worth of plastic were not that convincing. Scratches were obvious after weeks of being installed. I thought of switching to GadgetShieldz instead. They do not cost as much as IS, with $6.99 I had my phone scratch-free. I'll stick with this, atleast I don't have to pay that much and still avoid those scratches that shouldn't have been there in the first place after installation.

I dont trust any thin plastic shield protector. My iphone is on an otterbox defender. Ive dropped my phone on concrete sidewalks, on the carpeted floors, and everywhere else. No Dents, no scratches nothing. Its a 3 piece combination unit. 2 piece plastic case with slots for earpiece, volume and docking connector, covered by a silicone sleeve. Its makes the iphone a brick, but hey.. better a covered brick, then a cracked brick.

my only problem now is I bought a mophie external battery. Its really light and thin but no screen protector. I would like a glass or screen protector similar to the lcd screens for my canon DSLR.

SAVE YOUR MONEY!!!!!
It peels off easily and is impossible to reapply. Mine lasted 2 weeks, my daughter's for approx 10 days. What a huge waste of money!!

yeah sure, it protects from scratches LIKE EVERY OTHER COVER OUT THERE.

but they fail to mention that it picks up stains!! i put it on a week ago and it's picked up every stain possible. horrible product.

and, i called customer service and they want me to pay shipping!! so on top of the $50 something i paid (bought it here in the philippines), i need to wait a few days -- AND GIVE MY CREDIT CARD TO THEM. if my product doesn't get to them in 60 days, they charge me again.

so, i need to send it in insured mail. it's a hefty price for a bad product.

BOOOOOOO!!!!!!

I actually bought invisiblesheild. I wasn't really happy it. It's not durable. Its not something thats gonna last along time. I mean I take care of my Iphone, I'm not reckless and I'm really careful when It comes to where I keep my phone, I just don't dump it anywhere. I switched to Gadgetsheildz after Invisiblesheild got worn out (pretty quickly) and its much more longer lasting.

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