Iphone 4 Case Overview
The iphone 4 is a great product – well-designed, feature-full, and aesthetically-pleasing. It’s not often that a high-tech device gets to be a design statement as well. However, whenever a product like this appears on the market, you are sure to find a crowd of follow-on products taking advantage of the interest it has aroused. You might think that all the iPhone 4 accessories are just more of the same thing.
With an iPhone 4 case, however, you’d be wrong to conclude that too rashly. They really are a different story. More than a fashion statement or a way to drop some cash, it actually provides needed functionality in many very diverse packages.
Is it necessary? Yes, most iPhone owners will find that the iPhone 4 really does need a protective case or cover. The iPhone is reasonably sturdy, and can survive a certain number of bumps and even falls, but you can’t ignore the fact that the technology is expensive and the package delicate. The iPhone is somewhat slippery, the large touch-sensitive screen being covered in glass and unprotected against scratches or impact. It is also sensitive to water. Bear in mind that in the place where most of us live, things do fall down and get wet.
That’s not all. In addition to the element of accident, iPhone users must also cope with the well-known antenna signal problems from holding the phone “wrong” – namely, by touching the left-hand antennas. You may remember that Apple offered free cases a while back for this reason. Almost any case will help prevent the signal weakening, although you may as well protect your iPhone 4 (with an iPhone 4 case) as well as possible in other ways as well.
So you can see that far from being a mere frill, an iPhone 4 case is more than a fashion statement and an artistic expression. It’s a necessity in order to make your fragile and expensive iPhone a part of your daily life.
When it comes time to pick out a case, you’ll find your options are nearly endless. The variety, creativity, and artistry of the case designs seems to match the quality of the iPhone itself. The materials and designs sometimes appear to be done purely for aesthetic pleasure, but you’ll probably want to combine that with your core goal of safeguarding your iPhone from scratches, drowning, and worse.
Many of the cases are strong on fashion, making use of every color, pattern, and texture. Others go for more of a muted, minimalist look, either attempting to make the iPhone seem refined and understated, or else trying to protect it while still showing off its design virtues.
iphone 4 case
In a more practical vein, some cases focus on enhancing your grip on the phone with rubber, plastic or other soft materials. Others clip to the belt, a pocket, or even an armband. All these covers help keep your iPhone safe.
You have an abundance of choices in material and style, the result of an explosion of creativity, and a proliferation of approaches to the basic solution to the problems of antenna reception and fragility. You can choose from soft silicone rubber, hard shells, leather or fabric for looks, pouches, belt-clips, armbands, and more.
The different types of an iPhone 4 case
Let’s have a look at some broad categories of cases you can buy for your iPhone 4. They are: light-weight, heavy-weight, water-proof, leather, bumpers, and shells.
Light weight cases can include pouch covers or skimpy add-ons like Apple’s Bumper, as well as cases that provide some cover and protection for the screen. The $20 ShockBand is an example of this type – essentially a Bumper made by a third-party company. It consists of thick silicone wrapped around the phone’s outside edge, covering the antenna to aid in reception. It provides access to all buttons and ports. It does leave the screen unprotected, but it’s much better than no protection at all.
Moving on to heavy-weight cases, we have such entries as the Griffin Survivor and the Ballistic. Made to military specifications, the Griffin can actually help your iPhone survive a trip through a plaster wall and carries a price tag of $70. The Ballistic, more reasonably-priced at $45, has soft and hard protective material, keeps screen and ports safe, and can do nearly as well as the Survivor in extreme environments. You may not need everything it offers, but those who do will welcome its ruggedness. It is of course waterproof.
You don’t need an ultra-tough case to keep your iPhone 4 dry, however. The thinner shells can also hold up their end. An example of these is the LifeProof. Created by a former maker of aviation black boxes, it keeps your iPhone safe from scratches, drops, water and cold, and can take a six foot fall or a dunk in a pool. In fact it enables your phone to function as an underwater camera. It does all this while adding hardly any bulk at all and maintaining the full sensitivity of the touch screen and use of the buttons and ports. The price is steep at around $80, but at least you won’t have to buy a replacement iPhone!
Iphone 4 case: leather cases and others
Next we have leather cases and covers – classy, durable, and attractive. You might like one of these if you don’t particularly want to use a case but would still like some protection and style. An example would be the $50 Sena Walletskin to bundle your phone and usual wallet contents together.
Shells are represented by Gelaskins and their Hardcase shell. Glossy and sporting wrap-around art that you can design yourself, it provides fair to good protection without making the phone unwieldy. It runs around $30.
If you want to keep everything in the family, of course, you can grab an Apple Bumper. Much like the ShockBand, it’s made of soft plastic that’s not too sticky when pulling it out of your pocket. It’s better than nothing, to be sure, but it leaves the screen unshielded, and for the $30 price, some feel it’s a bit cheap.
A couple of caveats apply to your decision. It’s a matter of taste and risk tolerance, but whichever case or cover you choose, you may want to make sure that your touch screen is not left exposed. If it’s scratched, you may lose some of your iPhone’s functionality.
Another issue is whether you’re using the original AT&T iPhone 4 or the later version for Verizon. The layout varies in two ways between the two phones. First, the gaps between the antennas around the outer edge of the phone were repositioned. Second, the ring/silent switch was moved. Due to these changes, owners of the Verizon iPhone 4 will require a case with generous openings for the switches, ports, and buttons.
Now, speaking of scratches, we have just barely scratched the surface here. In order to find out more about an iPhone 4 case you are welcome to come inside and have a look around.