iPhone and iPod Touch owners will no longer be able to buy the hugely popular screen guards from Apple’s flagship stores, nor from its online retail outlet, after the tech firm decided to ban them completely.
It is not only the standalone film guards which keep scratches and scrapes away from the iPhone that are being axed, but also any case which integrates a film-based screen guard.
Apple fan site iLounge said that Apple will be outing all of these accessories from its official shops from May this year.
iPhone users have reacted with confusion to this news, as the film-based screen protectors are the most popular form of iPhone guard accessory out there, winning over more customers than full blown cases.
Some observers have suggested that Apple could be instigating the ban as part of a campaign to make the iPhone seem more rugged and resilient, with the implication being that the screen protectors are superfluous.
It has also been said that Apple might be banning these products because their use creates too many issues when questions over warranty are brought up as part of the repair and returns process. This conclusion sounds to be a more likely reason for the ban, although nothing official has been made public.
Third party iPhone accessory sites could see an influx of new customers if the ban goes ahead, as many Apple users stick to the official outlets for their latest add-ons. This would be a positive step in some respects, as it would allow many more businesses to benefit from the iPhone’s popularity.
