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reclusive46

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Apr 14, 2011
1,120
62
Canada
I bought a bumper along with my iPhone 4S and it turns out the bumpers don't fit. I assumed they just gave me an old one. I spoke to supervisor on the phone who was rather embarrassed to say that they don't actually have a bumper that fits the 4S properly in the EU yet.
 
Wow, that's ridiculous. So they can make enough iPhones for US and UK and where ever else, but bumpers are in short supply...

EDIT: Your best chance might be eBay. There may be somebody who is cashing in on this by importing some US bumpers.
 
Wow, that's ridiculous. So they can make enough iPhones for US and UK and where ever else, but bumpers are in short supply...

EDIT: Your best chance might be eBay. There may be somebody who is cashing in on this by importing some US bumpers.

Yeah I did have a look. Not much luck though :S
 
My wife went into the apple store in Glasgow on launch day for a bumper for her 4S and they had two lots of each colour, one for the 4 and one for the 4S, so they are available.
 
the apple online store has them. I called apple to complain about another issue, and also brought up the issue that my bumper doesn't fit, which i think is ridiculous. Such a minor change causing millions of people to cough up more cash when you've just spent £499 (or more). The guy I spoke to called his supervisor but he was busy so a supervisor is going to call me back supposedly by tuesday latest.

Luckily I have an incipio feather i can use in the mean time.
 
I bought one on the weekend that fits perfectly. Bought it at Cardiff Apple Store. It's not EU wide at all, it's just unfortunate that the store you got it from had the old ones. Wish people would stop with the hyperbole.
 
I removed the bumper from my iPhone 4 the other day for the first time since fitting it well over a year ago (to take some photos to list it on eBay). I was horrified to find out that the metal side was now covered in loads of little scratches and dints, especially round the corners. I had heard people complaining before that the bumpers did this, but I have to admit I thought they were talking rubbish. Bottom line is that I'm always really, really careful with my gadgets; even though it is the first time I've never used a screen protector, after 16 months the screen and back of my iPhone 4 are in immaculate condition whereas the sides, which have always been fitted with an Apple bumper, are scratched and marked.

I don't think it's down to any roughness on the inside of the bumpers, I think little bits of dirt just work their way under and then get trapped and rub between the bumper and the metal. Maybe the new 4S bumpers won't suffer the same problem; I won't be getting one though. I'd recommend anyone fitting one checks their sides and cleans out the inside of their bumper every month or so, and also keeps an eye out for other people reporting problems with their bumpers causing scratches on their 4S's.
 
Excuse my ignorance (I never had an ip4, came to the 4S from a 3GS), but why don't ip4 bumpers fit the ip4s - I thought the two phones had exactly the same design :confused::confused:
 
Excuse my ignorance (I never had an ip4, came to the 4S from a 3GS), but why don't ip4 bumpers fit the ip4s - I thought the two phones had exactly the same design :confused::confused:


The new 4s has the same silent switch placement as the Verizon (CDMA) version IPhone 4. The GSM model has a switch a little lower so IPhone 4 bumpers fit that. I think they did it on the CDMA version to accommodate the extra antenna breaks only associated with that phone.
 
The bumper will cause damage to your metal band... It happened to my iPhone 4!

They also don't last that long... I had a green Apple bumper and it faded and split near the charging port.
 
Have to add to my earlier post, I do really miss my bumper though - when I hold my 4S (especially removing it from the pocket of my jeans), my grip just doesn't feel as secure as it did with my bumpered 4. The bumper also used to stop my iPhone sliding anywhere - that glass back is sooo smooth! A couple of times already I've put it on the arm of the sofa and it's ever so slowly (to slow to even notice it moving) slid along it until it's fallen onto the floor.

I'd even be willing to pay for one this time round, but just not willing to risk those scratches again.
 
The bumper will cause damage to your metal band... It happened to my iPhone 4!

They also don't last that long... I had a green Apple bumper and it faded and split near the charging port.

Same happened on my 4. The solution is to get a spectra wrap from Lucky labs and apply it before you put a bumper on. That will stop the metal band from coming into contact with the bumper and making marks on it.
 
Same happened on my 4. The solution is to get a spectra wrap from Lucky labs and apply it before you put a bumper on. That will stop the metal band from coming into contact with the bumper and making marks on it.

Yep, i agree! The green looked awesome on my Black 4 too!
 
Just another comment on bumpers.

DON'T DO IT!

They marked the hell out of the steel band on my iPhone 4, even with me regularly removing and cleaning all around to ensure no lint buildup. Once it was marked I just accepted that and stuck with the bumper, but if you're getting a new iPhone 4S please don't ruin the metal band by slapping a bumper on.

Pretty horrified that an Apple accessory actually damages the phone to be honest. I considered taking my iPhone 4 in to a store and demanding a replacement but, well, it's done now, and I've learnt from the experience.

I'm now using a SENA red leather slip case.
 
Yep, i agree! The green looked awesome on my Black 4 too!

I'm gonna order some later on! Don't forget the 35% discount code is iphone4s35. It works out at 6£ for three spectra wraps and shipping to the uk which only took about 4 days last time to the uk for me :)
 
The new 4s has the same silent switch placement as the Verizon (CDMA) version IPhone 4. The GSM model has a switch a little lower so IPhone 4 bumpers fit that. I think they did it on the CDMA version to accommodate the extra antenna breaks only associated with that phone.

Ah, I see (wondered why people mentioned the CDMA model).

This explains why the Case-Mate Gelli I just bought - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0058MJ3UI - has an over-sized and off-centre cutout for the silent switch; it will be to fit both types of ip4 which is why the same case works for the 4S
 
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Just to add I got a new style bumper from the Apple Store in the Bullring (Birmingham) a week before the 4S was out.

They were all mixed on the rack. Just check the mute switch and dock slot to ensure they are larger.
 
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