How to adequately protect iPhone 5?

[Megalobyte]

In my personal experience, the reception/battery drain issue is overstated. I have very poor 3/4g reception in my house. 98% of the time I have one lonely bar. And still, I'm getting what I feel is excellent battery life. True, 75% of my browsing is wifi, but all I can say is, simply having bad cell signal in and of itself doesn't really kill your battery life.

[dellAbait]

no need for protection don't listen to the propaganda... my black launch day 5 is fine

[arc123]

Originally Posted by ThatsMeRight

I keep it in my (front) pocket. I do, however, not mix it with keys or coins or something like that.

And yep, cases can cause damage too. An easy example: you put your iPhone in a case, somewhere along the road some sand manages to slip between some seams, and guess what happens: there is some friction and the sand scratches the phone.

I wouldn't be too worried about some scratches though. It's an object you'll use for the next two to three years and at some point, you're bound to scratch it.

Also, keep in mind that the iPhone 5's back is mainly made out of metal. Aluminum can scratch. But as I said earlier: aluminum might scratch easier than glass, but glass breaks much, much faster than aluminum.
That said, I'd rather see an iPhone 5 drop than an iPhone 4S knowing that the entire back of an iPhone 4S is made out of glass.

It sounds like I should be OK with a case + front pocket. I was mainly trying to gauge risk of warping from that type of storage scenario, so it's good to know that it seems to be OK. I, at least, found it difficult to gauge what the actual risk of damage was in a scenario resembling what I ordinarily subject my phones to. It's good to hear that things aren't so bleak. I generally expect that to be the case, when considering how problem reporting typically goes on forums, but I like to be careful. Hence, this thread. You guys have been a great help! Also, great practical advice regarding scratching. Scratches are sort of a fact of life when one has a phone for as long as I probably will, although it does seem like the iPhone 4/4S may have been better-than-usual when it comes to wearing gracefully (thanks to the band around the periphery being stainless steel). I tend to be more picky about display quality than chassis cosmetics, since the display is what I'm looking at the vast majority of the time.

Originally Posted by Megalobyte

In my personal experience, the reception/battery drain issue is overstated. I have very poor 3/4g reception in my house. 98% of the time I have one lonely bar. And still, I'm getting what I feel is excellent battery life. True, 75% of my browsing is wifi, but all I can say is, simply having bad cell signal in and of itself doesn't really kill your battery life.

OK. I'm guessing it'll probably be good enough for my purposes, in any case. As I noted, I'm not terribly interested in moving to Android, so it's mostly just competition between the 5 and 4S for me. About the only other thing I have considered is a Lumia 920 in the alternative. It's a bit big, though (I like the smaller size of the iPhones), and Windows Phone 8 is still somewhat of an unknown quantity in terms of future viability of the platform. Ultimately, I mainly use my phone as a phone and a browser, with some apps on the side (some video, games, document viewing). So, either would probably work, but I am somewhat inclined just to stick with what I know. I find that it's a lot easier to deal with growing pains on a platform when it's my tablet or personal computer than if it's my phone.

[arc123]

Update: Got an iPhone 5! It is awesome!

I have a question about screen protectors. I prefer the clear/glossy sort. Which is the best, overall? I tried looking through some threads, and it seems some people like the Spigen Ultra Crystal. However, I saw some mention of the Power Support Crystal being nice as well.

[jrasero]

Scuffgate is real, but buy fro Apple directly and they will take back anything within the 30 day period or fix anything within the 1 year warranty

Honestly just put a case on it like 90% of iPhone 4/4S users do anyways

I recommend an Otterbox Defender case

The inner case is plastic which helps protect the structure and then a soft case on top of that to absorb shock and drops. Plus it comes with a built in screen protector

[harcosparky]

If you truly want to protect your iPhone5, leave it in the box!

Of course that would make using it a bit difficult.

But it would offer the ultimate protection.

----------

Originally Posted by jrasero

I recommend an Otterbox Defender case

I love the Otterbox, I had my iPhone 3gs in one for two years, when I took the phone out to sell it to get the iPhone4 the iPhone 3gs looked BRAND NEW.

Made selling it very easy.

So when I got my iPhone4 I put it in an Otterbox but the end results were not as good.

iPhone4 came out with some scratching, not that I minded but the change in design of the iPhone necessitated a change in the design of the Otterbox case and it's just not as good as it was for the 3/3gs.

That's been my personal experience.

[Bswartz95]

Applecare+ is all you need.

White iPhone 5 from launch day. No case. No scratches. No bends. I carry it in my front pocket with no other objects. I actually lay it face down on my desk at work.

[ATC]

Originally Posted by harcosparky

If you truly want to protect your iPhone5, leave it in the box!

Of course that would make using it a bit difficult.

But it would offer the ultimate protection.

----------



I love the Otterbox, I had my iPhone 3gs in one for two years, when I took the phone out to sell it to get the iPhone4 the iPhone 3gs looked BRAND NEW.

Made selling it very easy.

So when I got my iPhone4 I put it in an Otterbox but the end results were not as good.

iPhone4 came out with some scratching, not that I minded but the change in design of the iPhone necessitated a change in the design of the Otterbox case and it's just not as good as it was for the 3/3gs.

That's been my personal experience.

Otterbox changed everything about the Defender case for the 5, it's a really great case now (I wrote a mini review on it here). The defender for the 4 is utter garbage in comparison and this is coming from someone who's owned both. I've had my 5 in it for a week and I've already dropped my phone once inside my house and I inspected it, still flawless. I really think it's one of the best cases you can get for the 5.

[arc123]

Originally Posted by Bswartz95

Applecare+ is all you need.

White iPhone 5 from launch day. No case. No scratches. No bends. I carry it in my front pocket with no other objects. I actually lay it face down on my desk at work.

Thank you for letting me know about the bending w/ front pocket use. Applecare+ is not really a practical option for me at this time, due to the additional cost. Aside from that it's hard not to feel as though, if I had the extra money, I should move to a higher capacity. If the iPhone 5 were designed in such a way that Applecare+ became necessary just to cover damage from what would be considered ordinary use for previous models, I would consider that a serious design flaw. However, it seems like it's OK so far. Really liking it!

Originally Posted by ATC

Otterbox changed everything about the Defender case for the 5, it's a really great case now (I wrote a mini review on it here). The defender for the 4 is utter garbage in comparison and this is coming from someone who's owned both. I've had my 5 in it for a week and I've already dropped my phone once inside my house and I inspected it, still flawless. I really think it's one of the best cases you can get for the 5.

Thank you for the help! I decided to go with a Speck Candyshell as I liked the size and feel. I did check out the Otterbox but it ended up being too bulky for me. However, I'm still wondering about which screen protector to go with, as far as glossy/"crystal" types go.

[cheezeit]

Originally Posted by arc123

Thank you for letting me know about the bending w/ front pocket use. Applecare+ is not really a practical option for me at this time, due to the additional cost. Aside from that it's hard not to feel as though, if I had the extra money, I should move to a higher capacity. If the iPhone 5 were designed in such a way that Applecare+ became necessary just to cover damage from what would be considered ordinary use for previous models, I would consider that a serious design flaw. However, it seems like it's OK so far. Really liking it!



Thank you for the help! I decided to go with a Speck Candyshell as I liked the size and feel. I did check out the Otterbox but it ended up being too bulky for me. However, I'm still wondering about which screen protector to go with, as far as glossy/"crystal" types go.

Have a look at spigen ultra crystal

[abhinav7333]

Originally Posted by arc123

Hi all. New registrant and all; go easy on me . I'm thinking about getting an iPhone 5 but I'm honestly pretty spooked by the bending business that people are talking about. I have an upgrade available and am deciding between a 4S and 5 (not all that interested in Android). I am not really tremendously inclined to buy an old model to be stuck with for the next two years (I don't upgrade early), but I also don't want to buy a phone that won't last that long because of structural issues.

So, I'm genuinely wondering, what appears to be necessary to avoid problems with bending, dysfunctional buttons from warping, that sort of thing? I was thinking about getting a slider case since that's more robust than a snap case. I don't want the bulk of an otter box but a slider is OK. I keep my phone in my front pocket; elsewhere is not practical for me. Is this likely to be a problem?

Basically, since it's a new two-year commitment I want to make a reasonable decision between the 5 and 4S.

AppleCare plus or square trade.

[Gunny011]

Switch easy Nude case is the case i'm sporting at the moment.

You get a good case, 2 screen protectors + 1 back protector and 2 doc protectors!

only adds 1mm in to thickness of the phone.

[slffl]

a $10 bumper is all you need.

[ritmomundo]

Originally Posted by Gunny011

Switch easy Nude case is the case i'm sporting at the moment.

You get a good case, 2 screen protectors + 1 back protector and 2 doc protectors!

only adds 1mm in to thickness of the phone.

Why did I read this as 1 back penetrator?

[bushman4]

Originally Posted by Arnezie

Buy AppleCare + and never look back

Words of Wisdom!!!
Fear not, Iphone5 is a well built piece of technology. With Applecare+ you'll be protected against any accidental damage.

BOTTOM LINE:Enjoy the phone.

[FrankieTDouglas]

my pocket works pretty nicely on my "naked" 5

[yinz]

I'd just use it and not worry about it. Things scratch. Nothing is perfect. You won't hesitate to buy a car just because it might scratch, would you?

[arc123]

Thank you, folks, for all the advice!

I have another question, that just came up. I've noticed that, a few times, I'll turn on the phone and it will be on 4G instead of LTE, despite having 4-5 bars of reception. If I turn Airplane Mode on and off, it will then reconnect on LTE. However, it seems to be a little stubborn about doing so on its own. It doesn't always happen; other times it does appear to restore LTE. However, sometimes it won't. Is that normal?

[Mechinyun]

Get a total body skin:

http://www.bestskinsever.com/iphone-5-skin

Cheap and protects great.

I use this, but with a power support screen protector on the front, plus a really thin rubber bumper around the sides.

[Gunny011]

Originally Posted by ritmomundo

Why did I read this as 1 back penetrator?

best to buy a case for yourself incase of any back penetrators around!

[ATC]

A lot of people are recommending just go naked and add AppleCare+, which is fine (AppleCare+ is a must have IMO). But if the OP wants to ever resell the phone and maximize the return on it, then a case is necessary.

I personally hate cases and love the look of the phone on its own, but my priority is selling the phone at minimum loss which makes the upgrade to the next model financially sound.

I just sold my 2+ year old iPhone 4 and got my full, and hefty I might add, asking price only because it was in mint condition. And the buyer inspected it very carefully before accepting. So for me it was totally worth putting it in a case all that time.

I've sold so many second hand Apple products and I've consistently been able to erase a good portion of their depreciation, but only because of the condition they're in. The market for second hand apple products that are in great shape is insane.

[arc123]

I do like to keep the phone in good condition. I also actually like the overall handling of the iPhone 5 in a case though; it's a bit thin on its own for me. I may resell it in a couple years or pass it on to someone.

Anyone have thoughts re: LTE problem?

[Chris092881]

Put it in a hyperbaric chamber.

[takeshi74]

Originally Posted by arc123

So, I'm genuinely wondering, what appears to be necessary to avoid problems with bending, dysfunctional buttons from warping, that sort of thing?

Subjective matter. You need to take whatever precautions you're willing to deal with. If you're not willing to use a protective case on the level of an Otterbox then you're going to have to accept compromises in protection. Each person's willingness varies and you have to sort out where you are on the spectrum. Some can avoid the damage even going naked. Use what works for you. No option is going to guarantee protection from all damage -- they just offer varying levels of potential mitigation.