
A Naked iPhone -- Or, Why You Shouldn't Use a Case - devirkahan
http://www.thegeekscompanion.com/home/a-naked-iphone.html
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raldi
I'm going to have to demand better evidence that you can't drop an iPhone
(cased or naked) without breaking it.

The glass it's made of is not the same as, say, the kind you drink wine out
of. Unfold a paper clip and try to scratch your iPhone. You'll fail miserably.

I know anecdotes are not the same as data, but I've heard so many "my iPhone
is indestructible" stories like [http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/switcher-
hangout/237495-iph...](http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/switcher-
hangout/237495-iphone-durability-astonishing.html) that I'd love to see the
results of an actual durability testing lab.

~~~
bryanlarsen
Unfold a paper clip and try to scratch window glass. You'll fail miserably.

It's quite probable that iPhone glass is easier to scratch than window glass.
Glass is harder than just about everything except for diamond, so adulterated
glass, like the Gorilla Glass in your iPhone isn't as hard.

Normal glass is very brittle. Gorilla Glass isn't.

~~~
newhouseb
This isn't the case - the surface of Gorilla glass is under compression along
its surface in such a way that it's incredibly scratch resistant in addition
to being very flexible (see demos of people scratching car keys on it).

The primary weakness of Gorilla glass is that any actual incremental damage
basically causes the glass to implode on itself and creates spiderwebs of
cracks instead of a straight one reflecting where the structural integrity was
breached. Think of how many times you've seen hairline cracks in windshields
versus the disaster that someone's iPhone screen turns into if they happen to
crack their screen.

The way Gorilla glass is manufactured it is by far the weakest around the
edges (there's no compression depth-wise across the edge) and thus the iPhone
4 is somewhat more susceptible to damage than earlier models (due to the edge
to edge glass on the front).

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nlawalker
My understanding is that ZAGG (Invisible Shield) and Ghost Armor are making
out like bandits in the new market of sexy tech toys that people don't want to
put big clunky cases on. Their products fill the perfect niche - I think that
many people feel that what the author says is true (a drop will have the same
effect on a phone when it comes to a "full break/crack," regardless of the
presence of a case), but what they are trying to prevent are scratches and
scuffs marring their pristine toy.

An Invisible Shield put on with care is barely noticeable - I put a wet-apply
shield on my Samsung Focus screen myself - and except for a little bit of the
"orange peel" texture it's almost completely undetectable. It's great
insurance against killer scratches, a scuffing drop onto concrete, and spills
of sticky/nasty goop. At any time I could peel it off and replace it, or just
get rid of it.

That said, I have nothing on my iPad but a Smart Cover, but it generally lives
at home and isn't in and out of my pocket all day. On a screen of that size, I
think there's something to be said for avoiding the orange-peel texture.

~~~
maqr
But all these devices are useless after 2 or 3 years anyway... why would
anyone care about scratching up the metal a bit? These aren't collectors
items.

~~~
silencio
It helps resale value, but more importantly, it protects you from rubbing your
fingers on a scratch in the glass (nothing dangerous, just irritating) or
having an unusable part. Like the plastic covering the rear camera lens.

I got a case for my 4S ($10 on amazon, almost unnoticeably thin) because my
4's camera became increasingly unusable over the course of a year and change
since I kept putting it down on tables, while the rest of the iPhone was in
good shape for being naked (even considering I drop it at least once a week).
I probably noticed the first scratch on the plastic lens cover bit a month
into owning the 4, while right now there are no noticeable scratches on my
4S's which was purchased in mid-October.

Compare <http://twitpic.com/6n1o1b> and <http://twitpic.com/6ubjq2> (can't
even really see faces anymore, and that was with an attempt to focus and
decent lighting) to <http://pic.twitter.com/gHK0yi5g> or
<http://pic.twitter.com/7U1lNoA9> (where you see a little too much detail ;)
).

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therobot24
i disagree that if you drop the iphone with a case it will break anyway - to
lawyer the responses: of course the surface and height is important, however
using a case will greatly increase the probability of not breaking on most
surfaces (for example hardwood floors)

i can't count the number of times i've dropped my phone only to hear my case
break off and take the brunt of the blow

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tibbon
I too do not use a case with my iPhone. I had the original iPhone, which I had
one of those film screen protectors on. My 3GS I never put those on. Never had
a case on either. I've dropped each a handful of times on various surfaces,
sat on them, etc... maybe I'm just lucky (could easily be), but I've never
cracked or broken one. Really not worried about it. Picking up a 4S in a few
days and I'm going to go caseless on it too. I even took my iPhone 3GS to
Burning Man and used it as a quick camera and notepad out there (no talking of
course). Didn't hurt it, despite everyone telling me the dust would kill it.

My Macbook Pro goes without any additional protection aside from my Crumpler
backpack. I use the smart cover on my iPad 2, but it just feels to 'fit' it so
well and acts well as a quick stand.

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paul9290
I use and have used an Otterbox case. VEry durable and not bulky at all. The
3G version was bulky, but their 4S version is sleek and not as heavy.

I dropped both iPhones numerous times on every type of surface there is.
Without using an otterbox I'd be paying thru the nose for a new iPhone, as a
friend of mine who doesn't use a case has done a few times.

Get heavy duty/durable case not a flimsy one you buy a the five dollar store!

~~~
jzb
Indeed. I bought an Otterbox case when I moved to the iPhone 4 and have
dropped it a number of times with no ill effects. Also the cat likes to scoot
things, and has knocked uncovered iPhones off the (tall) kitchen counter
before.

I also prefer the feel of the phone in the Otterbox, tbh. It's easier to hold
on to (despite aforementioned drops) and it's harder for the cat to scoot,
too.

Silly post, really. Surprised it made it to the front page.

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cbs
I have an ipod classic (I need rockbox and physical controls for music). I
don't have one of those condoms for it because I like that over time it gets a
beaten-to-shit look. I don't want that for my phone.

Maybe it only has a marginal improvement to fall protection, but for someone
who spent most of his article creaming his pants over the iPhone design, I'm
surprised he doesn't care about day to day wear and tear.

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bonsaitree
A case isn't there primarily to protect the screen. It's there to absorb
shock, protect against nicks and scuffs on the non-glass regions, and provide
a non smooth-as-glass grip surface for your fingers and palm.

A good case will also have a raised bezel on the front so any potential screen
impacts from a drop on a flat surface will hit the bezel and not the screen.

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slaven
I would almost agree with this for iPhone 3GS, but due to exposed glass edges
on iPhone 4/4S this is no longer the case - coming from someone who's dropped
and cracked his fair share of iPhones. The bumper case is enough to protect
the edges of iPhone 4 from the impact - which is where the crack first forms
and then explodes all over the glass plate.

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marknutter
I couldn't agree more. I always find it ridiculous when I see people put a
sleek piece of hardware in a bulky Costanza style case.

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erwanl
Or, buy a phone that can resist a 1 meter drop on concrete without a case.
That's pretty much any phone except the iPhone 4 and 4S.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elKxgsrJFhw>

Yes, sure, full glass is beautiful. But not very drop resistant.

~~~
hackermom
Anecdotal at best, really. No science in there. A friend of mine dropped his
brand new Samsung Galaxy S II out of his pocket, less than 1 meter into the
soft linoleum floor of his kitchen, and the screen burst completely. No
concrete needed there.

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heynk
I went all in with Apple's new Applecare for the 4s... basically whatever
happens, turn it in and get a new phone for $50. I figure I'll be spending
close to that on a decent case, but the phone could break in that case too. I
think it's just cost effective to stay without the case.

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yahelc
I'm also anti-case, though my hubris resulted in this beauty:
<http://cl.ly/0y3b2K3l3E2m2n1A0L2l>

Ironically, breaking the screen only hardened my resolve to not use a case;
why let the crack be in vain?

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mootothemax
Hehe, very fun article, although it completely ignores a large portion of
iPhone owners: women such as my wife who go out with a handbag and no pockets
elsewhere. Car keys and an iPhone screen are, from experience, not the best of
friends ;)

~~~
raldi
I literally tried as hard as I could to scratch the screen of my iPhone 3G
after I retired it. Keys, paper clip, knife... the screen is unscratchable.
Are your wife's car keys made of diamond?

~~~
dpark
I don't know if the glass is the same as the iPhone, but my iPad 2 has
scratches on the screen from going in and out of a book bag (separate
compartment, too) for a few trips before I got a case/cover. Metal might not
scatch it easily, but then metal generally doesn't scratch glass easily
anyway. A little sand or grit can certainly do the job, though.

That said, a case won't protect your phone screen anyway. You need a screen
protector for that. I don't bother with either on my phone, but my wife does.

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kissickas
I drop my iPhone a few times a month (mostly knocking it off of a table) and
although my case does not cover the screen (a mophie juicepack for 3GS) I have
never even gotten a scratch on it. I'll keep using a case, thank you very
much.

~~~
lloeki
_"I drop my iPhone a few times a month and although I have [no] case I have
never even gotten a scratch on it. I'll keep [not] using a case, thank you
very much."_ And my iPhone 4 has literally been sent flying through the room.
Twice. (Yes, inadvertently.)

At some point I just said "what's the point of keeping it pristine if you're
keeping it under wrap? you won't be enjoying it." and decided it was simply
more worth to be just a bit more careful.

~~~
kissickas
Do you really not enjoy it when you have a case? I have no such regrets.

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mikhuang
Or use a tether to prevent your iPhone from plummeting to its death
<http://gizmodo.com/kenu-highline/>

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Splines
I use a silicone case so I don't drop it in the first place. It's pretty easy
for a naked iPhone to slide off a table or slip out of your hand.

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AndrewDucker
Those people talking about how well the iPhone survives a drop could do worse
than taking a look at some people actually testing this:

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elKxgsrJFhw>

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pcestrada
With two toddlers around, a case is a must with my iPhone.

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hackermom
Form and design indeed holds value, and I couldn't agree more that the iPhone
4S is the sexiest piece of smartphone ever made (I have one myself and its
appearance does appeal to me), but... I couldn't help noticing that it seems
the author of the article and the people who share his opinion are the kind
who'd pick up a smartphone for its outside rather than its utilitarian inside.
This struck me as counterproductive.

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drivebyacct2
My valuation of my phone has nothing to do with my clumsiness.

