So, a friend of mine happens to be a very senior high energy laser engineer in the Valley and knows way more about optics than any reasonable person. If I shared his bone fides, it would out him, but suffice to say we had a chat about the XDR screen one time, mainly in comparison to the Dell, and he uses Windows while I use a Mac or Linux. With the utter confidence of someone who has better things to think about he said "Oh, the texture is created by exposing it to hydrofluoric acid. That's just the only way you do this." And then went back to talking about the lack of physical controls, which is what ultimately led him to buy the Dell.

All that to say, this Jon.Bo statement "Basically, it’s a coating" is false. It's not a coating. When you're looking at a nanotexture screen, you're just looking through glass.

Since I'm sure someone will challenge me, I looked it up. Here's Apple's patent: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20220326413A1/en

and the key section from paragraph 0117:

"The surface of the glass cover member may then be chemically etched. Chemical etching techniques for glass cover members may involve using a suitable acid or base (e.g., a hydrofluoric acid-based etchant)".

I love their little redirections, like "a suitable acid or base".

Also: don't try this at home kids. Quick notes from our friend Gemini:

Safety & Dangers of HF Vapor

* Extreme Hazard: HF vapor is highly corrosive, toxic, and can cause severe burns, blindness, and systemic poisoning, even at low concentrations.

* PPE Required: Full protective gear, including chemical suits, respirators, and face shields, is essential.

* Ventilation: Must be done in a dedicated, high-flow chemical fume hood with water access.