13 ms·
I never understand why people use cases. What's the point in preserving something in mint condition if you never see it without the case?
by ollysb 14y ago
I never understand why people use cases. What's the point in preserving something in mint condition if you never see it without the case?
- owenjones 14y agoI showed my sister my 4S recently, she was thinking of upgrading, and she was amazed at my lack of case. "How do you protect it from scratches?" she asked, to which I replied "I don't drop it." I can't really comprehend dropping this thing, it costs $4-500! That's a lot of money! I can't imagine not handling things that cost that much without the utmost of care.
- sray 14y agoI'm with you. Accidents happen, but most can be prevented if you just treat your expensive device with care and respect. I find that people really don't like that advice, though!
- jsz0 14y agoThe carrier subsidy model is partly to blame for that mindset. I don't know how many people really understand the device they are tossing around actually costs $650 and not $199.
- beersigns 14y agoI mostly have a case for the extra grip. I had issues with dropping it and have basically a grippy rubber sleeve for a case. I've probably dropped 10 or so times and I'd guess 1 or 2 of them would have have caused cracks with out the case.
- magoon 14y agoI will sell my iPhone 4 for $200-300 to buy the new iPhone 5. I can do this because I preserved it in mint condition.
- Tyrannosaurs 14y agoIt's not about preserving it in mint condition, it's about preserving it in usable condition. I can't speak for others but my case has saved my phone from a smashed screen on several occasions. EDIT: Should possibly also add that I have small children (1 and 3 - that's their ages rather than their names) who use it and I'm damned if I'm giving it to them without a case on...
- 16s 14y agoYour comment about your children's names reminded me of something I heard Bill Cosby say once. When he was a kid, he and his brother thought their names were "Dammit" and "Hellfire" until they were twelve years old. "Dammit, get in here! Hellfire, get out of that tree."
- pdx 14y agoI have children 1 and 3 who use my Android, and sometimes drop it. No problems. Just in case, however, I do send them out of the kitchen when they're holding it, since it's our only non-carpeted area.
- dabent 14y agoI don't have small children, but I also apparently don't have any motor skills. I spent the money on an OtterBox for my phone and it's saved me from a cracked screen at least a half dozen times and from minor damage much more often than that. The down side is that my phone looks twice as large, but it's well worth it.
- bornhuetter 14y agoParticularly the iPhone 4(s). It's got probably the best form factor of any phone ever made, but people put those massive black rubber things on them with a circle cut in the back to show the Apple logo. Absolute abomination.
- eloisant 14y agoConsidering the number of iPhones with shattered screens that I see, I'm not sure "full glass" is the best form factor.
- bornhuetter 14y agoI didn't mean practical, I meant beautiful.
- lucian1900 14y agoWho cares how beautiful it is if it's broken?
- moe 14y agoThat's rather subjective, isn't it? There's various other phones that I find more visually attractive than the iPhone and a whole lot of them are more comfortable to operate (no sharp edges, lighter).
- szx 14y agoAm I the only one who prefers the older (3GS) designs over the new ones (4+) in terms of ergonomics? Sure, my 4S is beautiful, but it just doesn't feel right in my hand. Something about the aluminum/glass seam bothers me, and so I got a slim case and never looked back.
- r00fus 14y agoAmusingly my naked 4S (used to use cases - they ended up putting too much dust in the camera, while being naked it gets wiped off in the pocket/holster it's carried in) looks a lot like an ice-cream sandwich when I look at it on it' side :)
- ktizo 14y agoMake something covered in glass that people are going to carry in their pocket. This makes people worry about scratching the phone, they want to take care of the phone, to protect it. This triggers an emotional bond with the product.
- graeme 14y agoThat explains screen protectors. It doesn't necessarily explain cases. I drop my phone about once per week. And I've cracked a screen in the past. I like being able to continue to use my phone.
- brown9-2 14y agoWhy do you think a case makes the phone unusable? This is not my experience at all. What type of case are you thinking of specifically?
- graeme 14y agoI meant, dropping my phone without a case would make the phone unusable. I use a case, and was responding to the parent comment that said people use cases for reasons of emotional attachment.
- bryanlarsen 14y agoI never understood glass protectors. They cover this difficult-to-scratch glass with an easy-to-scratch plastic coating. A much better approach is to switch to a better laundry detergent: http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2012/08/your-smartphone-is-being-scratched-by-sand-not-your-keys/ http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2012/08/your-smartphone-is-bein...
- ktizo 14y agoThe plastic cover is sacrificial. It is intended to get grubby and trashed, in fact, the psychology works better if it does.
- talmand 14y agoA case is an exercise in attempting to prevent the consequences of gravity causing an interaction with a solid surface and glass.
- notirk 14y agoThere are some slick thin cases available, they're not all Otter boxes. My $5 case for my Galaxy S3 has already saved my phone multiple times from inadvertent drops. Far cheaper than insurance from a carrier or purchasing a new unsubsidized phone. I think a slim, simple case is a no brainer on a $500+ device one uses all day long.
- fourmii 14y agoWhat case are you using?
- josefresco 14y agoThe point in "preserving" your iPhone is so you don't have to purchase another one, at full cost if you accidentally drop it and it breaks. My slim case while more simple than most, has saved my iPhone countless times. I could care less if my phone gets dinged, or scratched a bit, but complete failure is an expensive fix.
- TillE 14y ago> at full cost Apple will actually send you a new/refurbished iPhone 4S for just $199, much much less than the cost of a new unlocked no-contract phone. You just mail in the broken one. http://support.apple.com/kb/index?page=servicefaq&geo=United_States&product=iphone http://support.apple.com/kb/index?page=servicefaq&geo=Un... I recently broke my iPad's screen (dropped it, completely smashed) and got a new one for about half the original price.
- benihana 14y agoFor most Americans, that is full cost for an iPhone. Even though it's technically the cost with a contract, I'd wager that 98% of all people who purchase iPhones purchase them subsidized by carriers with contracts.
- mikeryan 14y agoFor most Americans, that is full cost for an iPhone. Not really, thats the full price of a phone and a plan, its still a subsidized price, and Apple is still providing a discount by offering replacements for $199. Try losing a phone while 1 year into a plan and its going to cost you $300-500 to replace it.
- runjake 14y agoSo? What's your point? The alternative is you buy a Samsung android phone or whatever and break it and end up paying the actual cost, which is normally $499 on the low end to $649 for the latest flagship phones. A $199 replacement cost for a mistake I made sounds like a heck of a deal.
- mrhyperpenguin 14y agoPeople are poor. Some people can't afford to replace their phone if it becomes damaged.
- dkoch 14y agoMy iPhone seems to slip out of my pocket without a case/bumper. The silicone case gives it a bit more friction that prevents it from sliding out.
- tudorizer 14y agoMy iPhone 4S which dropped down the stairs last week could tell you some stories. Plus now I can sell it at a better price. Plus my case is also a bottle opener, that helps :)
- malsme 14y agoTo protect it for a future online auction?
- smcl 14y agoMany people will want to sell their iphone in a years time and buy the new iteration. A mint condition one will fetch a greater price than a slightly scratched one.
- rdl 14y agoI actually prefer the texture of my magpul executive case (which is fairly thin) to the stock iPhone 4 -- if your hands are sweaty, the regular iphone is somewhat slippery. I might go without a case on the iPhone 5, though, because I'm not sure if my thumb would comfortably reach the whole screen while using a case.
- stephengillie 14y agoBetween the $15 hard-ish plastic case and the $20 screen protector, my HTC Incredible has survived being dropped more than 20 times across the past 2 years. Sometimes I've clumsily dropped it 5 feet onto pavement, yet the phone is still in great condition.
- freehunter 14y agoMakes me miss the old days. I dropped my iPod Mini while jogging and it skittered across the pavement and got run over by a car. There was a slight nick on the aluminum casing, but that was it. More recently, my Zune 120 fell out of my pocket onto concrete while I was on my roof (second floor). Works like a charm. I'd be willing to deal with a phone that's an inch thick but can stand up to a fall without a case.
- tesseractive 14y agoIt's easy to find phones that will be extremely rugged and less than an inch thick with the addition of a case -- that would be almost any of them, really. What difference does it make that some of that inch is a case? I have a leather book-style cover on my Nexus 7 and it's still well under an inch thick.
- freehunter 14y agoNow, when I say rugged, I mean throw it across the room and run it over with a truck. I don't mean "drop it from pocket height". A case protects against a light bump, a rugged design can be used as an impromptu jack stand when your car gets a flat.
- NathanKP 14y agoYou must have got really lucky about how the car ran over the iPod, because I have seen a couple iPod's get run over by cars and in all cases where the tire went directly over the body of the iPod the device was essentially compacted flat by about 25% with the screen fractured and crushed down into the body and the electronics and the backing of the iPod had indentations of the street pavement texture. Needless to say they were history, but fun to take apart and see the mutilated insides.
- vbl 14y agoI'm still rocking my 3GS from 2008 in large part because of the case I had on it for 75% of its life. Phones get dropped.
- afterburner 14y agoAnecdotal counter-point: I'm also still rocking my 3GS, but I've never used a case. Of course I also don't drop it much (maybe 15-20 times total?).
- panschk13 14y ago3GS came out in 2009, didn't it?
- xyzzyb 14y agoI was the same way. Then I got a case/battery pack for my iPhone for a conference trip. Wow, now I just love the ability to flip a switch and get another 5 or so hours of battery life. Sure it's practically doubled the weight of the phone but the phone is already so light that I hardly notice.
- runjake 14y agoIn my case, resale value. People buying used Apple products are picky, so I try to keep my stuff pristine. This allows me to get top dollar when I sell it every year and upgrade.
- mikeash 14y agoIt's not about "mint condition". It's about not shattering the glass or otherwise destroying the phone if it falls onto a hard surface.
- xsmasher 14y agoI use one to make the phone less slippery. It no longer slides off my lap / out of my pocket / off my car seat.
- timjahn 14y agoWhy do you wear a helmet when you're biking? So you don't break your head. If you find it hard to believe that anybody could drop an iPhone without a case and break it, you haven't met my wife. :)
- ANH 14y agoI've never had a case on my iPhones (3G, 3GS), dropped them numerous times on concrete, and the only thing that put one out of commission was dropping the 3G in a toilet. Replaced it with a 3GS in 2009 and it still functions perfectly. Admittedly, it looks beat to heck compared to other folks' phones, but that ain't no thing. Never understood how Apple can sell so many phones if they can take the beating I give them.
- tluyben2 14y agoI have the same experience. My wife however bought the iPhone 4. In my experience, compared to the 3g(s) the 4 really breaks fast. 2 drops and screen was gone versus my countless drops (on concrete). It's anecdotal, but I here this more often from people.
- gurpreet42 14y agoI never used any type of case for my iPhone 4S. Getting new product with new features is always a craze for some people.
- achughes 14y agoThis, I think is the greatest argument for the iPhone. While everyone clamors for the new upgrade they really are premium and durable products. Apple makes their money when everyone thinks they have to have the newest iProduct.
- angryasian 14y agojust as a frame of reference if this is the greatest argument, they perform rather poorly in documented drop tests in comparison. Now not every situation is the same but just going by what is shown on recorded videos
- gonzo 14y agoMy case lets me attach LEGO, and glows in the dark.
- e40 14y agoI have a Galaxy Nexus and I have a case because the damn thing is too slippery without it. I would much prefer to not have a case, but I'm not going to risk dropping and breaking it.
- dmight 14y agoI would much rather drop my phone with a case than without one.
- uptown 14y agoI use an extremely slim case just to improve the grip. I found the metal rim to be too easy to slip out of my hand, but with a slim plastic case around the rim, it's secure in my hand. Adds virtually no bulk and the benefit of decreasing the likelihood I'll drop the phone and need a replacement.
- mmanfrin 14y agoResell value.
- jpswade 14y agoBecause they are expensive tools, not fashion statements.
- YokoZar 14y agoA similar argument applies to people who always leave their furniture covered.
- mikebridgman 14y agoI use a case that holds my credit card and photo ID flush against the back. In addition to protecting my phone, I rarely have to take my wallet with me anymore.
- michaelfeathers 14y agoI once visited a friend's home and his living room furniture was covered in plastic. I asked why and he said his wife had it covered in case the President ever comes over.
- herval 14y agoI never used cases - as a result, both my 3GS and my iPhone 4 ended up with overly scratched lens caps - so much I had to actually remove the cap on the last one, since taking pictures was basically impossible...
- jeffxl 14y agoI like Jerry Seinfeld's attitude about cases. (14 seconds in) http://comediansincarsgettingcoffee.com/joel-hodgson-a-taste-of-hell-from-on-high/siri-vs-mr-freeze http://comediansincarsgettingcoffee.com/joel-hodgson-a-taste...
- Moto7451 14y agoI think a large part of why people still use cases is back when phones used cheap/er plastics your device would look like garbage after a few months of life in your pockets/purse. Old habits die hard and I had a case on my old iPhone (3G) and my current Android Phone (Samsung Admire) until I was impressed by how durable the Gorilla Glass screen is. Now I let my phone run "naked" and it doesn't seem to get nearly as beat up as the Razr and Samsung flip phones that predated my iPhone (both got to the point that the paint on the plastic rubbed off). A buddy of mine who works with Granite has an iPhone 4S and just uses a case to keep the steel band from getting beat up and the ports from getting chalked full of Granite dust. He can slide his phone across a work table and the screen and back are just fine[1]. Gorilla Glass is an amazing material. [1] Note that Granite contains mineral parts that are slightly to a good deal harder than standard plate glass so it can scratch glass. Gorilla Glass is ~9 on moh's scale. Standard glass is ~5.5. Yay chemistry! http://www.rockhounds.com/rockshop/hardness1.html http://www.rockhounds.com/rockshop/hardness1.html http://chemistry.about.com/od/howthingswork/f/What-Is-Gorilla-Glass.htm http://chemistry.about.com/od/howthingswork/f/What-Is-Gorill...
- dkubb 14y agoMy wife drove down the freeway and forgot her iPhone on the roof. It flew off at about 90 kph (about 55 mph). It took her about 10 minutes to find the next turn-around and make it back to the phone. To make it worse she saw at least one car run it over as she was walking to pick it up. I opened up the case and there's not a scratch on it. Aside from some dust the phone is still in mint condition. The case is nearly perfect too aside from one tiny bent plastic part under the rubber shell. I won't say which case it is because I don't want to sound like an advertisement, but IMHO it's totally worth it to get a good one.
- dunstad 14y agoI'd say a case taht stops a phone breaking when it gets run over by a car is worth hearing about.
- burgreblast 14y agoKahneman anyone? 200+ replies answering and debating an easier question than what the OP posed.
- 8ig8 14y agoJerry Seinfeld agrees: http://comediansincarsgettingcoffee.com/joel-hodgson-a-taste-of-hell-from-on-high/siri-vs-mr-freeze http://comediansincarsgettingcoffee.com/joel-hodgson-a-taste... And so do I. I hate cases. If the phone needs a case then it wasn't properly designed. Cases diminish the value of the product. It's a risk, but having a phone that slides in and out of my pocket is so worth the risk of smashing the glass.
- KiwiNige 14y ago>If the phone needs a case then it wasn't properly designed I agree, but the iPhone 4 has no edges to hang onto. Maybe I'm clumsy but I think they are too slippery hence I put it in a case so I can get it in and out of my pocket with out dropping it.
- toyg 14y agoSome people just like to make their devices a little bit more personal. My case has a picture of my kids; it obviously pleases my eyes, and people love it -- conversation starter etc etc.