Got this problem as well. Called on the guarantee, they will send it back to Nokia and I'll recieve a new N9 today.

It was really annoying to see a clear black stripe while the area around was covered with finger prints.
The scratch couldnt get smudged (just stays clear black), that's why you see the scratch everytime while using the N9.

Salesperson told me Nokia still could refuse the guarantee if they dont see any problems with it. He told me that 2 others also complained about this problem.

Had my N9 about 30min and then I noticed the scratches. Nothing was in touch with the screen except my fingers. And I'm not Edward Scissorhands :P

@smegheadz:
It really looks like scratches. Also thought the scratch could be on the underside.

Does the N8 have Gorilla Glass of the same type like E7 or N9?

If my mother can scratch the N8 screen throughout limited daily usage (no dropping) I am sure to be able to inflict major screen damage with the above mentioned tool set.

The experiment would be helped by following:

1) the goal set to create scratches, not to prove no scratches occur
2) the device is not mine
3) running WP7

It's completely possible to scratch Gorilla glass. I once got two deep scratches on my Galaxy S2 after a night out. Had not dropped the phone or anything but I suspect it was made by those metal things on jeans. Maybe the phone was pressing against those when I sat down or something.

Anyway I fixed the scratch with Cerium Oxide, the downside is that the grease resistive coating is gone so one area of the screen is a smudge magnet. Solved the issue with a screen protector.

Also managed to get a scratch on about a month old iPad 2, not handling it especially roughly and always used the magnetic screen cover.

I used to be super neurotic about these things. It's much easier to go on living if you learn to accept that electronic equipment always gets some minor scratches and wear marks after use. You upgrade to a new device every few years anyway so it's not worth stressing so much about.

is it possible that the Anti-glare polariser is on top of the glass, and it's that which is getting scratched?
@triple_a , apple don't use gorilla glass, but it is possible for gorilla glass to scratch.

Thats why I swapped phonepocket to left side instead of right, the jeans' condompocket usually has a little metal thing on the edge of it, meaning if you slide your phone down into the actual pocket screen inwards, as screens are wont to face, it scratches it.

Was weird the first day, then the leftpocket habit was set and Ive never looked back.

Here's a pic! I'm glad I'm not the only one!


As I'm in the UK I'm not sure how the warranty will work. It's not really that bad! as soon as i wipe it down its almost invisible. Will put up a photo without marks in a sec. Will go to my local Nokia repair centre at the weekend and see what they think!

I'm just concerned that more will appear over time! the lower scratch only appeared the other day! I'm thinking it's "the Swiping" action that's caused it!

can you get screen protectors for 2.5D Gorilla glass, and am i likely to have damaged it using ethanol to wipe it down? i didn't use much!

Just tried taking one buffed up! it's harder than i thought but here's my best effort!

The scratch is now gone....

Interesting shots. N900 did not have a gorilla glass of course but i found that sometimes tiny particles that get caught between the nails were causing quite serious scratches on the screen. N9 of course is capacitive so no need to use nails anymore.

anyone else had this problem then? i think i will go to a nokia repair centre to ask! typed my serial number into nokia UK website and it says its under warranty! so we will see what they say!

they better not say, "here's a Nokia 800 as a replacement!"

more than likely they will say scratches are not covered but worth a go! Still not convined it is a scratch though!

it's possible to scratch it if you happen to rub it against something harder than the gorilla glass it has.

bad luck with some mineral dust in your pocket would do it, or some girl in a bar with a diamond ring..