[Xperia Z1 Accessories] Shander:
Greetings everyone!

This is my first post, so go easy on me ;).

I will be purchasing Xperia Z1 soon, so I did a bit of a research on the phone. To my disappointment, Sony puts an ASF (Anti Shatter Film) on the front and back sides of the phone. This film is NOT scratch resistant, so - as some people claim - a few weeks old phones already have some scratches (and this is with normal use). It can be removed, but it voids the warranty (I've read that this is only a screen warranty, but this needs to be confirmed). As a side note, you will also lose the Sony logo from the front as it is on the ASF (logo at the back of the phone is baked into the glass, though).

Additional info about ASF removal:

It is most probable that removing the ASF will void the warranty of the display but not the rest of the device.

Info updated, courtesy of akselic (http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=47618032&postcount=42)

A WORD OF ADVICE:

In case you are planning to remove ASF, it is suggested to obtain such information yourself, as this statement from Sony official, might not be respected in a country you live in. Receiving a confirmation from a representative of the customer support yourself, will get your ass covered under most circumstances.

​

There are four options:

Get used to the scratches on your new phone (yeah, right)

Buy a scratch resistant film

Buy a tempered glass protector

Buy a liquid screen protector

None of these options are perfect. Here is why:

Self Explanatory, unleass you are a fan of a weathered look

The films, while getting more and more advanced, are still a piece of plastic, and will never look and feel like a premium glass surface. Additionally, they wear out in time and need to be replaced. On the plus side, they provide a good scratch protection (and shatter protection if anyone cares about this), with almost no added thickness to the phone.

Tempered Glass protectors feel as the true surface of the phone - this means a lot for a device that is "felt" with your fingers 90% of the time. They do not wear as quickly as the film, but they can crack if hit hard enough. However they will typically take the blow themselves thus saving your screen. Unfortunately they add to the thickness of the phone (typically between 0,2 - 0,4 mm which is 0,008" - 0,016"). Also, there will be a problem obtaining a Glass protector for the back of your Z1.

I have not analyzed this subject thoroughly, as my thread will be about the Tempered Glass protectors. However, I think it's still worth mentioning. I don't know if the three product I've found have the same properties, but it seems that it involves Sapphire (which is 9H on the Mohs Scale) applied as a liquid through a nano technology. I don't know much about it, so I will not list the pros and cons.

Here are the liquids I've found:

Dynaflow Liquid Armour Screen Protector

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1&tag=xdadevelopers-21

Crystalusion Liquid Glass Screen Protector

http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/crystalusion-liquid-glass-screen-protection-p39834.htm

Nanostate Liquid Sapphire

http://www.nanostate.co/scratch-proof-screen/

I you are anything like me, you're probably striving to retain this premium glass feel of the Xperia Z1. Therefore, only options 3 and 4 are valid for you. Unfortunately - even if liquid protection works as advertised, it can be applied only to a glass surface (or so I have been told). What it means, is you would have to get rid of ASF, and lose the warranty. This leaves us with option 3 - The Tempered Glass protector.

I've looked around the internet and it seems, that - although the problem with Z1's ASF is prevalent - the information about eligible glass protectors is somewhat scattered. Some of the most useful info I've found in these forums, and that is why I've decided to put my findings here.

I have not tested the products below (which is understandable, since I don't have the Z1 yet), so I'm counting on you guys, to provide some insight. For me and anyone who might be interested in buying one.

I've put all the info I could find on these glass protectors, but something might be inaccurate (e.g. a product looks different on two different photos). If editing posts is possible on these forums, I will update my list with the data you provide. Please provide the source if you want me to update the info.

Products are listed alphabetically. The price is the lowest I could find. The exchange rates are from 2013-11-09. All manufacturers claim that their product was designed for Xperia Z1.

ARMORZ

Link: http://www.armorz.com/en/products/Films/Sony/Xperia-Z1/l105

Price: 34.95 / 44,95 USD (approx. 25,80 / 33,19 EUR) depending on chosen variant

Thickness: 0,2 mm / 0,4 mm (0.008" / 0,016") depending on chosen variant

Strength: 8 / 9H depending on chosen variant

Oleophobic coating: Yes

Front camera hole: No

Sensor hole: Yes

Back glass: No

Comment: There are 2 variants of the phone: Stealth Extreme Light and Stealth Extreme R. The 'Light' version is thinner and cheaper, but has lower strength.

Info updated, courtesy of reventon_703 (http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=48061956&postcount=83)

Brando

Link: http://shop.brando.com/Brando-Works...-Edition-Sony-Xperia-Z1-_p10088c1626d008.html

Price: 27.00 USD (approx. 20,20 EUR)

Thickness: 0,3 mm (0,012")

Strength: 8-9H

Oleophobic coating: Yes

Front camera hole: No

Sensor hole: Yes

Back glass: No

Comment: The version I've found has rounded edges which I feel, will not fit the Z1 perfectly. There was a version with regular edges, but it is no longer available. The thickness is not provided by the manufacturer.

Info updated, courtesy of JuicyBrah (http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=47294372&postcount=3)

Clarivue

Link: http://www.clarivue.com/sony-c6903-xperia-z1-xt-tempered-glass-screen-protector-cover

Price: 34.99 USD (approx. 26,18 EUR)

Thickness: 0,3 mm (0,012")

Strength: 9H

Oleophobic coating: Yes

Front camera hole: ?

Sensor hole: ?

Back glass: No

Comment: The existance of camera and sensor holes cannot be confirmed nor denied by the photos. The holes are not mentioned in the description of the product.

Crystal Armor

Link: http://www.crystal-armor.com

Price: 3675 - 6300 YEN (approx 36.75 USD / 27,12 EUR - 63.00 USD / 46,49 EUR) - depending on chosen variant

Thickness: 0,2 mm (0.008") / 0,33 mm (0.013") - depending on chosen variant

Strength: 9H

Oleophobic coating: Yes

Front camera hole: No

Sensor hole: Yes/No - depending on chosen variant

Back glass: Yes

Back camera hole: Yes

Comment: There are 4 variants of Tempered Glass protectors for Z1 from this manufacturer:

1) Front 0,33 mm (0.013") thick

2) Back 0,33 mm (0.013") thick

3) Front+Back 0,33 mm (0.013") thick.

4) Front 0,2 mm (0.008") thick (no sensor hole!)

This is currently (as of 2013-11-20) the only confirmed manufacturer that provides a Tempered Glass protectors for the back of Z1. Also 4th variant (Front; 0,2 mm thick) is the only known glass protector that doesn't have a sensor cutout.

Info updated, courtesy of reventon_703 (http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=47566993&postcount=40), (http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=47641330&postcount=46)

Info updated, courtesy of 1337rice (http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=48354033&postcount=110)

Glass-M

Link: http://theglass-m.com/products/glass-m-premium-tempered-glass-screen-protector-for-sony-xperia-z1

Price: 16.00 USD (approx. 12,71 EUR)

Thickness: 0,2 mm (0,008")

Strength: 9H

Oleophobic coating: Yes

Front camera hole: No

Sensor hole: Yes

Back glass: TBA

Comment: The existance of camera and sensor holes cannot be confirmed nor denied by the photos. The holes are not mentioned in the description of the product. I have contacted the manufacturer to obtain this data. The protective glass for the back of the Z1 is rumored to be released (Source: http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=46677343&postcount=1)

Info updated, courtesy of snetwork (http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=47318656&postcount=11)

Huizhou City Junsi Electronics Co., Ltd.

Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Generic-Tem...d glass screen protector&tag=xdadevelopers-21

Price: 20.64 USD (approx. 15,24 EUR) - this is for Front + Back tempered glass protectors

Thickness: ?

Strength: 8-9H

Oleophobic coating: Yes

Front camera hole: Yes*

Sensor hole: No*

Back glass: Yes

Comment: I couldn't find a manufacturer shop or website. Please provide info if you can. Clarity of the glass is 98%+**

* - judging solely by the photos (no info provided by the manufacturer). Confirmation needed.

** - confirmation needed

Info updated, courtesy of TheCraig (http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=47779512&postcount=59)

Kawin (Shenzhen Kawin Optical Materials)

Link: http://www.kawintape.com/product/html/?67.html

Price: ?

Thickness: 0,4 mm (0,016")

Strength: 8-9H

Oleophobic coating: Yes

Front camera hole: ?

Sensor hole: ?

Back glass: No

Comment: I couldn't find a place to buy it. The existance of camera and sensor holes cannot be confirmed nor denied by the photos. The holes are not mentioned in the description of the product.

Muvit

Link: http://mymuvit.net/muvit/control/pr...593EC6674B3864D6C486.jvm1?productId=SESCP0013

Price: 18,90 EUR (approx. 25.26 USD)

Thickness: ?

Strength: 8H

Oleophobic coating: No

Front camera hole: Yes

Sensor hole: Yes

Back glass: No

Comment: The thickness is not provided by the manufacturer. There is a hole in the glass for the camera which in my opinion should not be exposed.

Nillkin

Link: http://www.nillkin.com/english/proshow.asp?mid=2&sid=0&tid=0&cid=1&scid=13&id=3638&page=1

Price: 15.89 USD (approx. 11,89 EUR)

Thickness: 0,3 mm (0,012")

Strength: 8-9H

Oleophobic coating: Yes

Front camera hole: No

Sensor hole: Yes

Back glass: No

Comment: Nillkin provides a back protection, but it is a plastic film (Source: http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=47128312&postcount=24). The size of the Nillkin glass protector is smaller than the actual screen of Xperia Z1 by ~1 mm in height and ~1 mm in width (so it is ~0,5 mm from each side).

Info updated, courtesy of ksoze (http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=47298655&postcount=8)

Info updated, courtesy of Shem2409 (http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=47521338&postcount=34)

Spigen

Link: http://www.spigen.co.jp/goods_detail.html?input_goods_id=355

Price: 3765 YEN (approx. 28,20 EUR, 37.69 USD)

Thickness: 0,4 mm (0,016")

Strength: 9H

Oleophobic coating: Yes

Front camera hole: No*

Sensor hole: Yes*

Back glass: No

Comment: Oddly, this product is available only in Japan.

* - judging solely by the photos (no info provided by the manufacturer). Confirmation needed.​

I hope you will find this post useful. If you have anything to add (a new manufacturer/data/clarification/etc.) please do not hesitate.

DISCLAIMER

I am not affiliated with any of these manufacturers.

RELATED THREADS

Front and Back Tempered Glass

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2492878

Screen protection for those who removes Shatter proof film

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2450040

Temprered Glass Screen Protectors

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2461000

Xperia z1 screen protectors

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2439124

Guide: Perfect Screen Protector Installation Technique

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1015394

UPDATES

2013-11-10, 7:22pm

Updated Brando and Nillkin

2013-11-10, 9:59pm

Updated Glass-M

Added Updates section

Small font adjustments

Got rid of the typos

Corrected wording

2013-11-13, 11:57am

Corrected Nillkin spelling

2013-11-20, 2:18am

Added information about Nillkin size in relation to Z1 screen

Added Crystal Armor to the list

Added information about ASF removal

2013-11-26, 2:17am

Added additional info about ASF removal. Rephrased a disclaimer

Added Huizhou City Junsi Electronics Co., Ltd. to the list

Corrected information about Crystal Armor

Removed redundant info about not finding any tempered glass back covers

2013-12-02, 10:17pm

Added ARMORZ to the list

2013-12-14, 9:07pm

Updated Crystal Armor

2013-12-16, 12:48pm

Added "Guide: Perfect Screen Protector Installation Technique" link to the RELATED THREADS section