Macworld Follow-up: Simple Slimline Protective Cases for iPhones

Sharon Steuer

2

Probably the most frequently hawked products at Macworld/iWorld this year were cases. Shiny cases, cases with famous characters, happy flowers, customized photo cases, changeable cases—really almost anything you can imagine. I briefly considered getting some of my art files printed on a set of cases for a distinctive look, and then realized that there are more important features that I count on for an iPhone case.

iPhones are costly and valuable. In cities such as San Francisco (where I live) New York, and DC, the proud owners of the latest smartphones have become the most targeted victims for violent robberies. San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón has been calling for smart phone companies and mobile carriers to take swift action, “Tech giants have a certain social responsibility to do something about this problem…Unlike other types of crimes, this is a crime that could be easily fixed with a technological solution.” It’s a very serious and growing urban problem that could be largely fixed by automatic shutdowns of stolen devices, as reported in the Washington Post.

Meanwhile, I try not to use my phone on the streets or on transit, but when I have to I try to be extra aware and very discreet. As a result, the last thing that I want to do is to add flashy bling to my phone.

Although there are more expensive cases that add functionality to your phone (such as ones that are constructed to work with custom zoom or wide-angle lens adaptors, or others that include an external battery in the shell), for the purposes of this roundup, we’ll just be focusing in on relatively inexpensive, $35 and under, slim-profile cases.

All of the cases discussed here fit one or more of these functional criteria:

• Cases that add significant protection to an iPhone. After all, if you spend a lot of money on your phone, isn’t minimizing the impact of a drop the most important thing?
• Cases that are slim enough to not add bulk to the iPhone. As professional artists and designers, my guess is that part of the reason you are willing to spend the money on the iPhone is because of it’s industrial design, so you don’t want its case to ruin your experience with your toy by adding a milk-crate’s worth of protection.
• Eco-consciousness. As a tree-hugging San Francisco gal, I love the idea of minimizing my dependence on petroleum-based products, so I looked at a series of cases that claim to provide “enough” protection and yet are actually completely biodegradable and compostable, and (unlike most iPhone cases made in Asia) are made in the USA.

When I had my first iPhone, a 3, I got a black, thin, flexible rubberized case and an anti-glare screen protector from Apple.

Tip about screen protectors: because I’m near an Apple store, I went in-person, and the sales person informed me that if I bought the screen protector there, they’d apply it for me, and if they messed up applying it, they’d give me a new one—so that’s a good tip if you are near enough, and want a screen protector. Why do that? Because it does substantially cut the glare of that shiny glass, and it protects the glass—I ended up selling the 3-year-old iPhone 3 for over $100 because it was in such great condition.

When three years later I got my current iPhone 4s at the Apple store, I asked for a similar case. This sales person recommended that instead I look at a hard case which would provide a good deal more protection in the event of a drop. I don’t know about you, but I have dropped that thing more than I care to admit (usually because I’m distracted when I’m just slipping it into the outside pocket of my purse where it lives). In any case, this is the case that I ended up getting, the PixelSkin HD

The Speck folks were not at Macworld/iWorld, but with this a simple, black, rubbery but hard, slim-profile case, my phone has survived its few simple falls to the floor. They do have a model for iPhone 5 as well.

Price: $29.95

Now back to this Macworld/iWorld, January 2013.

I was really impressed with the lovely cases that will leave the least impact on the planet. The BioCases by NiteIze are slim, rubbery-feeling cases that are a bit softer than the hard case I had already. The packaging describes these as being “molded of GDH-BI bio resin, the world’s first certified compostable and biodegradable pliable elasatomer,” and made in the USA. Honestly, if you’re careful with your phone, and want to feel really really good about taking a step in the right direction for this planet, I highly recommend these cases. There are a bunch of styles including of course the discreet black, black with a Peace sign, and the iPhone 5 cases even come in sweet eco designs that hint at saving the planet with turtles and butterflies. The prices are really reasonable, solids at $16.69 and the cute designs at $22.19. They feel good, are economical as well as compostable/biodegradable, and might make make you feel a little better about your global footprint.

The ConnectCase, also by NiteIze, is one of the slimmest plastic/rubber-like cases that I’ve seen for iPhone 5, 4/4S. Although NiteIze makes no official claims about how good their case is for protection, I received the following email from someone in their sales and marketing team:

“…concerning our Connect case, the drop resistance is pretty amazing. I dropped mine from about 10 feet onto concrete in my garage and it was completely fine. I was very happy.” I asked if she had done this intentionally, to which she replied “That’s funny! It was actually an accident but ended up being a good test. I also had bought Apple Care just in case, but haven’t had to use it.”

What is unique about this case is that it comes with a bunch of connection gadgets, for clips, and hooks, and even for their windshield and dashboard devices (which are additional in cost). If you’re looking for an ultra thin case with decent protection it’s a good choice. If you want the physically connectivity to the hooks and clips and dashboard/windshield stuff it’s an especially good choice.

Price: $34.99 

But why do you do if you really want “maximum” protection?

The most daring claim that I found for a slim case was this email sent to me before the show
for the NuGuard KX Kinetic Energy X-Orbing Protective Case for Apple iPhone 5 and 4/4s.:

“Know Any Other iPhone Case That Will Survive a 200ft Drop and Still Fit In Your Pocket???”

And it’s more just an idle than a question, they also sent links to these videos, documenting their claims:

Check the 20 ft drop test.

Or the 200 ft drop from the OWC wind turbine.

When I went to their booth I asked if this bold claim was backed up by a warranty. The reply was that their case carried a 30 day money back guaranty, with a lifetime warranty—for the case. Well that’s fine, but since they didn’t offer to replace my phone if I didn’t make it through the drops, I opted instead to watch as he repeatedly tossed his iPhone to the counter and floor to show me that he personally really trusted the case. I didn’t ask if it was actually his personal phone, or belonged to the company, but nonetheless it was pretty impressive. And is is slim? Yep, it really is—honestly it’s just a tad thicker than my original slim case. If you’re looking to maximally protect your iPhone while keeping its slim profile, this is likely to be your best option.

Price: $35

I personally tested out each of these cases, and honestly I like all of them. There are, of course, a zillion options if you’re looking for more flash, but if you just want just a little more character than the simple black, you’ll be happy to know that all of these slimline iPhone 5 and 4/4S cases come in a range of much “funner” colors as well.

Update: This New York Times article contains valuable tips on how to avoid being the victim of iCrime, and what to do if your phone is stolen.