Apple Drops Anti-Reflective Display Plan for iPhone 17 Pro Due to Production Issues

Apple has reportedly scrapped plans to introduce a new anti-reflective display coating in its upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models, according to sources cited by 9to5Mac. The advanced screen technology, which was expected to improve glare reduction and scratch resistance, has been pulled due to production scalability challenges.

The specialized coating, aimed at enhancing screen clarity in bright environments, reportedly faced low manufacturing yields, making it unsuitable for mass production at the scale required for iPhone Pro and Pro Max models. Apple has since dropped the feature from the iPhone 17 Pro development cycle.

Currently, iPhones feature a standard oleophobic coating to resist fingerprints, but the tech falls short of the advanced anti-reflective solutions seen in competing devices. For instance, Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra uses Gorilla Glass Armor, which cuts reflections by up to 75%, offering superior outdoor visibility and improved color accuracy.

While Apple does employ nano-texture displays in its high-end Mac and iPad Pro models to reduce glare, it's unclear whether similar technology will be adapted for iPhones in the near future. Sources suggest there is no timeline for reintroducing the feature, raising questions about whether it will appear in any future iPhone generation at all.

The iPhone 17 lineup is still expected to debut later this year, albeit without the long-rumored anti-reflective display upgrade.