This is a team post discussing cases, or the lack thereof, in everyday iPhone and iPad usage. Some people, like our own Alex Jordan, are purists when it comes to appreciating Apple’s hardware designs and don’t want to cover any part of the original design. Then there are those who drop their devices so often that cases are really the only way to keep the purchases intact for more than a day.
Below are takes on the case vs. naked debate from various members of the iSource team. They’re a cool peek into how different people think of their smartphone and tablet investments, and there are also a few product recommendations thrown in for good measure.
Brandon Kosal
I’ve owned an iPhone from just about the day it was released to the present day, with the exception of a seven-month fling I had with BlackBerry. (For you kids out there who don’t know what a BlackBerry is, just Google it.) And since that day, I have, almost exclusively, gone caseless. Sure, I tried a few here and there, and I even used a holster case for almost a month at work. But, sooner or later, I go back to the naked iPhone. It’s how I rock it now and most likely always how I’ll use it.
I think one of the phone’s best features is its form factor. It has such a unique feel, with a gorgeous screen to boot, that I feel like a case would hide its true beauty. I understand that I risk certain damage, including scratches on the screen. But I must say, and not to jinx myself, that I am pretty careful with my electronics, so it’s never been an issue. For that reason, I prefer to let my iPhone just be itself.
Alex Jordan
As I have noted in the past, the iPhone 4S is my first iPhone. I do not carry it in a protective case. In the past, my family has had several iPods – none of which have been carried in a case, either. The main reason I carry my devices without a case – and this may sound kooky to some – is for the design aesthetics. I choose to carry my iPhone in the manner it was intended. Plus, the design student in me gets all hot and bothered regarding things like this anyway.
Plus, the device is rarely not on a completely flat surface, safely in my hand, or in my pocket. If it were to fall and break, I would eat the damage. That’s how confident I am in not breaking it. If it were to sustain enough damage while in my pocket that it broke, a case wouldn’t have helped it anyway. An extreme example such as a bad traffic accident comes to mind.
In short, I’m not above carrying an iPhone in a case. I just choose not to, and I’m comfortable with the consequences of doing so.
Rob Renk
I, like many of you, have owned every iteration of the iPhone. In the beginning protection was never really one of my main concerns. I just enjoyed my iPhone naked, and I tried my best to be as careful as I could. As a result, it was not common for me to be seen carrying my iPhone around all covered up in a case. That changed for me after I sold my 3GS. I bought my iPhone 4 with the proceeds, and protection immediately became a top priority for me. It was actually an unfortunate necessity that I constantly struggled with.
The iPhone 4 was the sexiest phone I had ever used, and covering it up really seemed to do it a disservice. So it was an on-again-off-again relationship where I often let my daily activities dictate whether or not a case was needed. In addition, after selling my 3GS, I discovered I could sell my iPhone a month-ish before the expectant launch date of the next iPhone iteration, and make enough to cover a new, upgraded iPhone and even an accessory or two. The better protected my iPhone was, the newer it looked, and the more money I could eventually sell it for.
How much protection is enough? For me, I started with the full body skins. With a skin I could protect my iPhone and still enjoy it without the bulk of a case. This worked fine, but I just couldn’t leave the skins on for long periods of time. I wanted to be able to use it and show it off the way it was intended to be–naked of course. That pretty much led to the revolving door of cases. I was never really satisfied with any of them for long periods of time. Recently I’ve settle into the mykase by BodyGuardz, and for now, I couldn’t be happier. Lightweight, strong, and easy to remove, the mykase currently fills the self-imposed layer of protection that is there when I need it, and removable when I don’t.
Brandon Steili
I guess in the case vs. naked discussion…. I’m a bit of a boxers guy. Let me explain that stance. On my iPhone 4s I have a BodyGuardz Dry Apply full body skin. The device isn’t fully clothed in jeans and a hoodie, but it’s protected front and back. Boxers. My iPad however is in a Marware CEO Hybrid case (Thanks Patrick). I would love carry the iPad around in boxer mode but the big problem is I tend to toss it into my backpack with tons of other stuff and boxer mode wouldn’t protect it enough. If you’ve ever worn boxers outside in the winter – you understand that sometimes they’re enough – sometimes they aren’t. So, there’s my case vs naked. Boxers all the way.
Patrick Jordan
OK, if we’re going with all the undergarments comparisons I guess I’m a bit of a thong guy. Whoa, that doesn’t sound right at all.
I’m a guy who likes his iDevices to wear thongs. Yikes, getting worse. I’ll start over.
I’ve always been tempted to let my iPads and iPhones cavort around naked, but I’ve very rarely done it. I tend to like a minimal amount of basic protection for them, though. In the past I’ve used an Incase slider that provided back protection and some minimal impact coverage for the screen, along with a screen protector, for my iPhones. On the iPhone 4S I have so far not applied a screen protector and am using just a basic snap-on back cover that was an Xmas gift from my daughter – so the iPhone is a little step closer to naked.
With the iPad 2, my current and long-time favorite ‘outfit’ is the Apple Smart Cover (dark blue leather model) and just an ultra-slim Gelaskin on the back. I’ve got a few very good sleeve and folio style cases that I’ll use if taking the iPad 2 out into environments where it may be more at risk of damage.
James Rogers
For me, a case has been an absolute necessity for all of my PDAs and smart phones, all the way back to the Windows CE days (yes, I know I am dating myself). So cases are about two things for me.
First, I always want to protect the value of the devices that I own. 99% of the time, I am selling my previous device to upgrade to the next model. The better the condition, and the better quality the case that comes with it, the more I get in resale.
Second, and even more important, is that I tend to work in some environments that are very inhospitable to electronics. From mechanical and electrical rooms, to rooftops exposed to the weather, I need to make sure that my phone has basic protection from the elements and from short drops. I use it for several things besides just phone calls in the course of my daily work, so making sure that it’s protected is vital to my being able to do my job.
Also, because I use the phone so much during the course of my day in ways and places that aren’t always friendly to battery life, I also prefer a battery-powered case. I have been using the Mophie Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition since I reviewed it late last year, and I absolutely love it. The extra size is absolutely worth it for me for the ability to do pretty much anything I need to do during the day without ever having to plug my iPhone in.
In the course of a single work day, I may use GPS, tether my iPhone to my laptop or iPad, make extended phone calls to customers or tech support, research parts and pricing information using battery hungry 3G, or spend time in low or no-signal areas that tend to really kill your battery fast. All this, and I always use a headset, so Bluetooth is enabled 24/7/365. Thanks to the Juice Pack, I never have to worry or think about doing any of this anymore. When my initial charge gets low, I flip the little switch on the side, and my iPhone 4S just keeps on going.
For those like me that need function over form, it’s hard to make it without a good iPhone case.
Joe Tomasone
As a data hungry road warrior (but not yet part of the 5%!), I find that I am often in need of a little extra battery to make it through the day, and just as often not in a practical place to plug in. Therefore, my solution is the Mophie Juice Pack Air, which can ressurect your iPhone from the brinks of red-battery death and into a nice, healthy, mostly or fully charged state with which you can further abuse AT&T’s apparently grossly oversold network.
The one downside to the Mophie – as I’m sure you can imagine – is that it removes every single trace of Ive-imbued sexiness and svelteness that makes the iPhone 4 such a joy to hold and behold. Every so often, when I take the case off for cleaning, I am reminded of how much I miss my sleek slab of glass and metal… But then I remember that I love using it much more than admiring it (well, okay, a little less) and realize that the Mophie must go back on.
Jay Roth
I was a hardcore case kind of guy when I got my 3GS – my first iPhone. Of the few cases I tried, I loved, loved, loved the Case-mate ID credit card case. With a single grab while leaving the house, I had my iPhone, my ID, and a credit card. I never went without that iPhone, so it actually meant I never went anywhere without an ID. I even squeezed a paper health insurance card and a $20 bill between the phone and case. Some may say that I was at risk for losing my identity since everything was packaged so neatly in one bundle. Although it was an initial concern of mine, I found I actually kept better track of my ID and credit cards instead of fumbling over locating a wallet and a phone.
Fast forward to the iPhone 4S two years later. Now I prefer the svelte glistening feel of the iPhone in its naturally nearly-nude form. I currently protect it with a full BodyGuardz protector and find the weight and feel to be enticing. There’s just something magical about holding this device au natural.
(Now where the heck did i put my driver’s license?)
Thomas Wong
I don’t think carrying a 4S around “naked” is necessarily a bad idea. My 4S had its first drop (from a coffee table) recently, and despite landing on its side and then the screen, it’s fine. So there’s definitely a little bit of impact resistance in the core product.
However, I do think that the anti-case crowd can be a bit too dismissive. Cases aren’t just for drop protection or extra colours any more – sure, there are a lot of sinfully ugly wastes of plastic out there, but there are also a lot of functional designs, as has been pointed out above. Cases can turn the iPhone into wallets, into battery powerhouses, and sometimes into penguins. That shouldn’t be easily discounted.
One of my personal favourites is the TwelveSouth BookBook, which really transform the iPhone into something different. It does cover the glass-and-metal design, but it’s also lovely having both my iPhone and my wallet in one place, and it’s so quaint keeping a hardcover book in your pocket.
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