Otterbox, and iphone... Whats the trick?

xesvuli420 · Dec 29, 2011

OK so I have the defender, and have for a while. As soon as I got it I noticed just putting the phone in the case was not going to fly because of the oil/moisture/static/whatever you wanna call it marking up the screen.

I googled it and found a few remedies... The only one I found realistic was the "add a screen protector" solution, so that's just what I did!

I was kinda satisfied with the end result, although it did make the display look more pixilated. However, from time to time I like to take my phone out, admire it, clean it, etc... And as I was trying to pull it out it became clear that the otterbox membrane, and the screen protector liked each other so much that they fused together.

As I tried to pull the phone out of the case, the membrane was trying to pull it back in! Long story short it ended up un seating the screen protector.

So I pulled the screen protector off, and since then have dealt with the marks on the screen.

However, twice now I have run into people with the exact same case (one with a 4, the other with a 4s), both people had their case installed at the retailer (one at Verizon, the other AT&T), neither of them had any screen protectors, and both of them had a beautiful screen! No marking of any kind!

What do the retailers know that we don't?

I can't deal with the watermarks anymore! Someone please help lol!

Pinkpoison · Dec 29, 2011

xesvuli420 said:
OK so I have the defender, and have for a while. As soon as I got it I noticed just putting the phone in the case was not going to fly because of the oil/moisture/static/whatever you wanna call it marking up the screen.

I googled it and found a few remedies... The only one I found realistic was the "add a screen protector" solution, so that's just what I did!

I was kinda satisfied with the end result, although it did make the display look more pixilated. However, from time to time I like to take my phone out, admire it, clean it, etc... And as I was trying to pull it out it became clear that the otterbox membrane, and the screen protector liked each other so much that they fused together.

As I tried to pull the phone out of the case, the membrane was trying to pull it back in! Long story short it ended up un seating the screen protector.

So I pulled the screen protector off, and since then have dealt with the marks on the screen.

However, twice now I have run into people with the exact same case (one with a 4, the other with a 4s), both people had their case installed at the retailer (one at Verizon, the other AT&T), neither of them had any screen protectors, and both of them had a beautiful screen! No marking of any kind!

What do the retailers know that we don't?

I can't deal with the watermarks anymore! Someone please help lol!

Dont know what they did but try spectacle cleaner fluid to get the oil and grease off,helps for a little while

Quicksilver7714 · Dec 29, 2011

The Defender case comes with a built in screen protector. Did you remove it?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

rxcx5790 · Dec 29, 2011

I hate the new defender screen protector it makes your screen dull and blurry so I just popped it out of the case.

HiddenPuppy · Dec 29, 2011

xesvuli420 said:
OK so I have the defender, and have for a while. As soon as I got it I noticed just putting the phone in the case was not going to fly because of the oil/moisture/static/whatever you wanna call it marking up the screen.

I googled it and found a few remedies... The only one I found realistic was the "add a screen protector" solution, so that's just what I did!

I was kinda satisfied with the end result, although it did make the display look more pixilated. However, from time to time I like to take my phone out, admire it, clean it, etc... And as I was trying to pull it out it became clear that the otterbox membrane, and the screen protector liked each other so much that they fused together.

As I tried to pull the phone out of the case, the membrane was trying to pull it back in! Long story short it ended up un seating the screen protector.

So I pulled the screen protector off, and since then have dealt with the marks on the screen.

However, twice now I have run into people with the exact same case (one with a 4, the other with a 4s), both people had their case installed at the retailer (one at Verizon, the other AT&T), neither of them had any screen protectors, and both of them had a beautiful screen! No marking of any kind!

What do the retailers know that we don't?

I can't deal with the watermarks anymore! Someone please help lol!

I bought my defender the same day I bought the iPhone 4s at Verizon and they installed a screen saver and then the case, I have no problems getting my phone in and out and there is no problem seeing the screen and it is cleans and bright. Not sure what they know, but it worked great.

Have a good day,
HiddenPuppy

mikedeanellis · Dec 29, 2011

I wear glasses I clean them every day with the microfiber cloth with a light eyeglass cleaner. I make a point to clean the screen when I clean my glasses every day.
Imagine touching your eyeglasses with your fingers all day long and how smudged and smeared it would look after just one day you must clean your phone every day.

Oscar_D_Grouch · Dec 29, 2011

I had a defender on my 4s since day one with no extra screen protector and never had the problem with the built in screen protector.

xesvuli420 · Dec 30, 2011

Poisonivy said:
Dont know what they did but try spectacle cleaner fluid to get the oil and grease off,helps for a little while

mikedeanellis said:
I wear glasses I clean them every day with the microfiber cloth with a light eyeglass cleaner. I make a point to clean the screen when I clean my glasses every day.
Imagine touching your eyeglasses with your fingers all day long and how smudged and smeared it would look after just one day you must clean your phone every day.

Lol, I don't even wear glasses, BUT I did get some of that awesome glass cleaner with a microfiber. I clean the outside of my otter everyday with it, and it works great! Also everytime I take my phone out, I use it to clean everything! I have to say that the spray cleaner is better than anything Ive ever seen for cleaning anything else i.e. windex, water, etc!

But still it doesnt help at all with the "watermarks", just makes you able to see them more clearly =o)

Quicksilver7714 said:
The Defender case comes with a built in screen protector. Did you remove it?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

re-read the OP please

rxcx5790 said:
I hate the new defender screen protector it makes your screen dull and blurry so I just popped it out of the case.

I have to disagree with you. I mean sure its not as shiny as no protector at all, but IMHO it doesn't dull/blurize* ((thats right I made that word up, spread it around) the screen to much. But yes, the membrane does scratch easy, and yes it does blurize the screen a tiny bit, but its better than scratching my actual screen. Don't get me wrong, dealing with this "watermark" is playing on my patience, and many times I've considered doing this just to get rid of them, BUT that would open up a hole for more dust, and make it easier to scratch the screen. As of now, this is just not a feasible option to me right now.

HiddenPuppy said:
I bought my defender the same day I bought the iPhone 4s at Verizon and they installed a screen saver and then the case, I have no problems getting my phone in and out and there is no problem seeing the screen and it is cleans and bright. Not sure what they know, but it worked great.

Have a good day,
HiddenPuppy

lol @ screen saver!

This is what I did, and there was NO watermark! However for me, this did "pixelate" the display a bit... BUT it was better than the "watermark" However, after about 3 weeks in the case, when I tried to take it out to clean it, the phone did NOT want to come out of the case, it literally pulled the screen protector off as I pulled it out harder and harder. Once the screen protector came off the phone, I couldn't get it back on without dust and specs, so I pulled it off. If I would have had another, I would have installed it, but as of yet, I haven't gotten another.

Oscar_D_Grouch said:
I had a defender on my 4s since day one with no extra screen protector and never had the problem with the built in screen protector.

This is exactly why I made this thread. Most of us have installed screen protectors, and otterboxes ourselves, and wouldn't have it any other way... HOWEVER, some people have had the retailer do it, and their results are amazing, and something I can't seem to replicate!

I would love to know what the trick is (thats why I'm here), and I would also like to know if people like this took their phone out of the case, if they could get it back in without the "watermarks" I'm not going to ask anyone to do that, I'm afraid that would put them in my boat too.

I plan on calling otterbox and seeing what they have to say as well, and I will post anything interesting I find, but in case they are no help...

Keep posting your experiences!!

Thanks guys

Oscar_D_Grouch · Dec 30, 2011

No retailer, I popped it in myself. Waned the inside and out of the otterbox membrane and the iPhone screen with just a dry microfiber and popped it in the case and that was it.