Sure, Motorola’s ShatterShield formulation has changed between the DROID Turbo 2, the Moto Z Force and the current Moto Z2 Force. Some critics have said that the shatterproofing of the phones’ screens came at the expense of easy scratching. We were initially assured that customers would get a less scratch-prone composite and that the top layer would be replaceable with a new lens purchased from retail partners.

Not so anymore. In an about face, Motorola press relations has just told Pocketnow that it does not make sense to offer replacement ShatterShield liners as sales of these lenses for the Turbo 2 and Z Force were very limited.

Here’s the full statement with our emphasis in bold:

Our apologies, but we were mistaken about the option to get a replacement liner. We offered this for the last two generations of ShatterShield but the number of customers who used them was so small, we discontinued it this year. To reiterate, ShatterShield addresses the top consumer pain point of cracked and shattered screens and we have seen overwhelming consumer response in favor of this product innovation. Like past generations, the structure does not contain glass and we encourage screen protector usage to guard against scratches. Moto Z2 Force Edition is as durable as the last generation with a more seamless integration of the top layer/liner.

We’re not sure if most customers actually experienced a relatively pleasant experience with the ShatterShield display. Maybe their awareness of this replacement option was limited or the price just wasn’t right. But we do know that there is more than one way to make a display unpalatable for viewing. One of them involves shattered glass. Another involves a terribly abraded screen.

Whatever the economics behind it, we’re a little more concerned about how we should actually treat our Moto Z2 Force now that we know there’s a point of no return. Supposedly, the consumer version of the phone will better endure scratching forces. We shall see — our review is on its way.