If you’re of the camp that believes your iPhone or iPod touch’s screen needs some kind of additional protective layer to prevent it from getting damaged, you may want to head to the Apple store soonish to stock up on said accessories. In the very near future, you might not be able to find them, at least not through Apple’s official channels, according to sources speaking to Macworld.

The sources, who are described as Apple accessory makers who want to remain anonymous for fear of arousing Cupertino’s ire, maintain that Apple has informed them it will no longer be carrying any films or covers aimed at protecting iPhone screens from dust or scratches, or even those that claim to prevent glare and ensure privacy.

If the sources are correct, all of these types of accessories will be pulled from the Apple Store, both in its online and physical retail incarnations, as will any other accessories that stick to the surface of Apple devices. The blanket ban on anything adhesive makes sense, since these apparently have a very high return rate because of the difficulty in applying them properly.

The ban on films that “protect” the screen also makes a good deal of sense, mostly because that’s a ludicrous claim to begin with. It’s like being sold insurance against possible gryphon attack. It’s just not going to do anything, besides maybe instill a false sense of security. Think about it: do you buy protective films for your eyeglasses?

Because it’s the same exact thing. Or maybe even more ridiculous, depending on the quality of your glasses. Apple’s iPhone and iPod touch screens are made of optical glass, which is the most scratch-resistant glass in existence. I personally have owned two iPhones and two iPod touches, none of which have ever borne any kind of screen protection. I’ve dropped them all countless times, and even kept them in pockets with change and other knick-knacks, and the screens are pristine. The back cases? Not so much.

I’m not advising against due diligence here. Generally speaking, I keep my iPhone in a pocket designated for it alone, or with a pack of gum or something else non-abrasive, though sometimes I forget and throw it in with my keys. Still, keeping it loose in a bag of sand probably isn’t a great idea.

But Apple’s doing a great service to customers with this move, even if that what’s motivated it to begin with. The absence of screen protectors on Apple Store shelves should hopefully go a long way toward curbing unnecessary accessory purchases. Unless you shop at Best Buy, in which case you’ll probably come home with three screen protectors and a product service plan.

Artist Jorge Colombo created the cover artwork using Brushes, a $4.99 premium app currently available in iTunes (and no doubt about to see a bump in sales).

June '09 edition of The New Yorker

From the Brushes web site:

Brushes is a natural media painting application designed from scratch for the iPhone and iPod touch. Featuring an advanced color picker, several realistic brushes, extreme zooming, and a simple yet deep interface, it is a powerful tool for creating original artwork on your mobile device.

There are three brushes to choose from (smooth at one end of the scale, bristly at the other), a simple color-picker, and an advanced color tool which provides for fine-tuning Hue, Saturation, and even Transparency. Brushes allows for artwork to be exported at an impressive 1,920 x 2,880 pixels, which is more than adequate for lithographic print.

A 'simple' painting in Brushes

Brush-tip choices

Advanced color-picker

There’s an online gallery of work by other Brushes users that is just breathtaking. You will not believe these paintings were produced on an iPhone!

There’s a final nice twist to this app. Also available from the developer’s web site is the Brushes Viewer, an application for Mac OS X that not only allows you to view your Brushes masterpieces on your computer, but also replays each and every stroke. So once you’ve finished adding those final touches, you can sit back and watch the entire painting process repeated, time-lapsed-style.

If you’ve tried Brushes, share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. That’s assuming you’re not busy designing the next cover of TIME magazine.

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Unfortunately, soon after getting the case, it started stretching and now my iPhone will barely fit inside. I called up Incase and it turns out they had a bad batch of rubber.

If you have a back protective cover that’s stretched too much to carry your iPhone snugly, fill out a warranty form and they’ll send you a new one.

P.S. In the meantime I’ve been using a Gelz Case I picked up from RadTech. It’s a fraction of the price and I like the design. Unlike the Incase (which is thick), the Gelz is very soft, thin neoprene. I just have the case to prevent scratches and normal wear, so it works great for me.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Mobile Q4: All Eyes Were on Android, 4G and the Rising Tablet Tide
• Report: A Mobile Video Market Overview
• In Q3, the Tablet and 4G Were the Big Stories