Apple yanking protective screen film products from retail, online stores

If you were planning on buying a protective film screen for your iPhonefrom Apple directly, you better jump on that now. Starting in May, Apple is actually banning the products from their online and retail stores.

And apparently this has been in the works for awhile.

According to iLounge, Apple has been in talks with their vendors, and the result is that Apple is removing both film-only solutions and any case that includes a film screen protector. While it's most popular with the iPhone, this will also be enforced for all other Apple products with a screen (i.e. iPods, MacBooks, etc.).

It seems very strange that Apple is pulling their highest-rated product in the Armbands & Cases department, especially without much explanation. Is it a health issue? Are they faulty? We all know that these $15 flimsy, film screen covers won't last forever.

There's the suggestion to make Apple screens seem more durable, but that can't true. Sure, the screen protector on my iPhone is a bit scratched up after almost two years, but better the cover than the actual screen. And don't propose the idea that this means a new iPhone/iPod Touch is coming out because there are still plenty of people with the old models who might be interested in such a product.

Of course, anyone who wants a new screen protector will be able to find them from other retailers, but it still just seems downright strange on Apple's part.