Industrious Kenyans offering to coat your phone with an 'unbreakable' liquid screen protector has become a common sight in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) and other urban centres in Kenya.
These individuals can be spotted carrying sophisticated-looking briefcases with several compartments and nifty in-built devices. They pitch to customers about a unique liquid screen protector which they differentiate from regular glass protectors, terming theirs as superior.
The entrepreneurs go as far as attempting to scratch or drill through the screen on the spot, to convince clients of the protector's supposed unparalleled scratch resistance and superior qualities.
Complaints on social media from customers who have faced challenges with their devices despite installing the liquid protectors, however, have also been on the rise. In this article, Kenyans.co.ke delves into the liquid protector phenomenon that has taken Nairobi by storm, separating facts from fiction.
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2), the base compound used in most liquid screen protectors, is essentially liquid glass because it dries when used to coat the screen, creating an oleophobic layer.
The liquid protectors are approximately 100 nanometers thick and, therefore, do not add any noticeable thickness to your device.
According to its marketers, the liquid protectors essentially make your phone unbreakable, improve scratch resistance, repel water and possess anti-bacterial properties.
Multiple reviews indicate that the protectors do not significantly improve devices' ability to repel water. They do, however, make screens feel smoother and 'newer'.
The liquid protectors are said to have 9H hardness, but with the average tempered glass screen protector also having 9H hardness, it fails to stand out as a unique selling point. The premise that they make your phone unbreakable is, therefore, false as they offer only as much protection as regular glass protectors.
While the liquid protectors technically increase scratch resistance by adding an extra layer, the layer is only 15 to 30 molecules thick and little difference is seen in scratches made on a screen with or without the protector.
The liquid protectors also do not do much to conceal pre-existing scratches that may be an eyesore on your screen.
Depending on the brand, liquid protectors could, however, make the glass on your smartphone screen tougher compared to untreated glass. This could make your phone less susceptible to unexpected falls.
It is also important to note that it is not possible to remove the liquid protector once it has been installed.
This could cause issues when trying to fix other device challenges with a number of users also complaining of their phone displays being affected after installing the liquid protectors.
Sample some Kenyans' experiences with the liquid screen protectors shared on Twitter below:
Dont do it!
— Wanja Kibuki (@wanjakibuki) December 28, 2019
My dad's screen is a mess right now. All broken.. & they said they cant remove it
Just saw this.... Please DO NOT GET IT!!!! my Mom's phone had it and it fell from a desk kidogo tu and the phones inside screen cracked na the nano nonsense remained intact. The phone even lost sensitivity and had to replace the whole screen. Heri uweke the kawaida screen guard
— PHOENIX RISING (@Nimmoh_) December 29, 2019
Those guys selling screen protectors/ hardners at the mall entrances are pure SCAM!!! Pure Pure Scam!!!
— Carol Mwas (@MwasBaybie) September 2, 2019
1 week later, a simple fall and thisnis what I get 💔💔😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/S7bEkkUg0R
I know this is a late reply and I wish I had seen this tweet earlier but please to anyone else thinking of getting this Nano gel, it’s the biggest scam in screen protector history. 1. There’s no way to remove it 2. If it breaks, guess what? https://t.co/JqVQKZ3Fsf pic.twitter.com/DVwCvhiUAg
— GATHONI K. (@QueenGathoni) December 29, 2019
