Your protective phone cover case can say as much about you as your chosen wallpaper.
And over the years, protective covers for phones, laptops, screens and more have become hugely popular.
But former Apple employee and content creator Tyler Morgan has a word of caution about screen protectors that may change the way you feel about using them.
In a TikTok video, Morgan, whose TikTok account @hitomidocameraroll has 70 million likes, says: "This just needs to be said. I see a lot of you with the little camera protective things on your iPhones. Don't do that".
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Showing an iPhone with a protective case which covers the entire phone, cameras included, he goes on to say: "Over time it actually does scratch your lens, it makes the camera quality worse, (it's) also gonna protrude out a little more so you're probably gonna crack and be like, 'Oh it helps so much' - not really it's just sticking out more".
He goes on to say: "That means you'll have to replace it, what happens when you replace it? It might scratch your lens, cause you're taking it off."
And his sage tech advice doesn't stop at phones, he also has some guidance for laptops.
He says: "Screen protector's fine on your phone, not on your Mac. Cheap and it seems like a good idea, basically if you have one on then you take it off, it removes that layer and you end up with this (he shows a picture of a cracked Mac screen), and it's not a fun time".
He's right about that, a cracked screen on your phone or laptop is never fun.
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"So if you have one on leave it on, if you don't have one, please do not get one," Morgan advises.
He moves on to covers for laptop keyboards, showing what looks like a plastic one you'd pop over your laptop keyboard.
Sure, they make sense to stop food and other bits of dirt getting on your keyboard, but Morgan says: "Please do not get this, or if you do, just take it off when you're done using it.
"The reason for this is because it actually damages the hinge of your computer because you're closing it, and it's not expecting there to be something in between the screen and the keyboard. It's designed to close perfectly with the keyboard, nothing else should be there".
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He ends with a bit of a NSFW quip, saying: "So over time you're gonna make your hinge all floppy and flaccid, If you don't know what flaccid means look it up (or ask your mom why she left your dad)."
Comments under the video offer up some interesting points, with one person saying: "Don’t listen to that first piece of advice, the lens will still crack if you drop it. I’d rather have the protector for the lens crack than the actual lens".
Someone else recommends: "Just get a sliding case. Literally solved any problems related to cameras with no cons. Also better for privacy".
Of course, Apple have developed a host of their own protective covers for their gadgets over the years and we're sure they've taken all of these concerns into account, so as always, following official Apple guidance on their products is a good idea.
Featured Image Credit: hitomidocameraroll/TikTok