LifeProof Fr iP5 case

[Biff...]

I love my case but there's only one problem. The back window that covers the apple logo has scratch lines all through it. I know it's stupid but for the price they charge this is unacceptable ! I would post a pic but I don't know how to do it.

Did you remove the plastic from the rear window?

 

[Meltdownblitz]

It's that padding towards the top. I have no idea what it's purpose is. Maybe to keep the plastic screen taught? Anyways, it's good for us working in the elements and I'm happy. A glass screen built in would be nice but would make this a $$$ case.

Someone should try taking that padding out and trying it. Especially the people going to return the case. I might just keep this case as I do believe in it more now. I just dunked it in water quite a few times. I'm kind of shocked my self right now. A better case screen protector would make this possibly an everyday case for me. However if i keep it, I will just use it for the needed occasions of snow boarding or traveling abroad.

 

[dennisjr631]

Thanks biff.... I didn't know there was plastic to peel off. I removed it and all is good now.

 

[guccigucci88]

What is "TC"? I gotta say i love my lifeproof for 4s. Have both white and black no problems. Yeah the screen is not as nice as glass but u get use to it. Other than that its nice to use phone when hands are dirty and not worry about spillin anything on it. Its also a Nice feeling case when its on the phone and slim as hell for a "rugged" case.

I can understand how it seems like a flawed product especially if u failed to get one that works twice. Seems like hit or miss in that aspect but besides the screen protector its a pretty decent case. I guess for me its even better i got both mine for free

I find it odd how the TC said there was no pillowing and that the screen protector is flush yet you can obviously see that there is pillowing in his/her pictures.

As expected, if you look at the TC's posting history, outside of a few complaint threads, their only other posts are in and about the Lifeproof case. Obviously the TC has some heavy bias towards this case.

Personal opinion time based on the pictures: the case looks just as cheap as the iPhone 4/4s version. I had two of those and it was a cheap feeling case with some serious quality control issues across the board.

I really liked the overall thought behind the case but it was way too cheap to actually be protective. Outside of the waterproof feature (which actually failed on one of mine) the case is just not up to snuff in terms of protection and quality.

Again, I don't hate the idea or even the overall design of the case as it looks great, but if this case is anything like the 4/4s, and it seems like it is identical with different cut outs, then this will be an over-hyped, and flawed product. I have personally seen many people, myself included, that have had one of these fail on them so for $80 I really don't think it is worth it unless they totally re-engineered it which again, doesn't look to be the case.

 

[Meltdownblitz]

I just read that it should only been taken off 50 times ( in a macworld review fr iphone 4s) for it to be considered to safety protect your phone. Guess I should really think about this considering I will only want to use it for occasions. Anyone heard of this?

 

[faiz23]

$22.99 shipped for the otterbox defender. You want to spend $80 on a case that you will only use couple times. I invest $89 for 2yr squaretrade warranty to get 4 replacements with no deductible.


http://amzn.com/B00974L60S

 

[mrbunglez]

Think he means "Thread Creator" which is me, If you can't tell with my screen name I'm a dude, you must be pretty blind to not see the "Mr" in my screen name. I have no pillow effect on the main screen, yes with the home button theres a slight pillow, but that's not a deal breaker. There's no pillow effect in the touch screen area on my case. But think what you want and that I'm "biased" to the case that's your prerogative.

 

[mrbunglez]

I just read that it should only been taken off 50 times ( in a macworld review fr iphone 4s) for it to be considered to safety protect your phone. Guess I should really think about this considering I will only want to use it for occasions. Anyone heard of this?

That's what it was in the beginning, but the CEO stated on their Facebook page that they changed it to unlimited just as long as you maintain the case and always inspect after each opening. I'd also do another 1hr water test as well before you put the case back on if its been sitting awhile cause any type of lint on that o-ring could cause a fail and for water to leak in.

 

[maliu]

Loving this case. Had one for my iPhone four and used it about a year and a half. The one for my 5 is wonderful, no proximity sensor issues, music sounds great, the screen is flat out of the box (my old case took some break in time to flatten as I expected this one would. So far no issues on speaker phone. There is an area at the top of the screen that does require a firmer press, but so did my old case, you get used to that pretty quickly. I love LP cases so much I waited to upgrade to the 5 until I knew they were close to releasing the case. I'd be terrified without it.

 

[Meltdownblitz]

Loving this case. Had one for my iPhone four and used it about a year and a half. The one for my 5 is wonderful, no proximity sensor issues, music sounds great, the screen is flat out of the box (my old case took some break in time to flatten as I expected this one would. So far no issues on speaker phone. There is an area at the top of the screen that does require a firmer press, but so did my old case, you get used to that pretty quickly. I love LP cases so much I waited to upgrade to the 5 until I knew they were close to releasing the case. I'd be terrified without it.

You must have got the perfect case then.. My speaker was muffled as well when I was playing music. Looks like mine is going back to bb.

 

[GenderFi]

Out of curiousity I checked the local BB since its on my way home. They had none and asked several people and they couldn't even provide an ETA. They checked and nothing at my 2 other local BB's either. Yes, I live in the city where I have 3 BB within a mile or two from me. I was going to see if they'll let me open the package and give it a try. Mine will be here next Tuesday, we shall see!

 

[Hooterville]

How hard is this case to get open once you have snapped it together?

 

[Sgt93]

How hard is this case to get open once you have snapped it together?

It takes a little work to get it off but it can be taken off. That seal works well to say the least.

 

[secured2k]

Glass would be nice but it would be even more expensive and probably easier to break.

I've used the otter box defender case for the 4S for the past year and its screen protector has no pillow or sensitivity problems at all! I can only assume this is because its not an air tight seal and the protector might be thinner.

My phone randomly goes on speakerphone when on calls. It's going back.

I'm no engineer, but the screen fix is simple. Make it glass, there you go Lifeproof, your welcome. Fuse a plastic home button to a glass protector that's fused to the case. East. Typing is difficult and feels so damn cheap.

 

[Raegor]

Thats cause the otterbox screen is designed better. It only covers the touchscreen portion of the phone, so it fits flat. Only issue with otterbox is the bulk of the top and bottom plastic.

The lifeproof screen covers the entire front face of the phone, its pushed out at the home button and earpiece so it doesn't fit flat at the top or bottom of the touchscreen. Really poor design, they could have made the top and bottom plastic and it would still be waterproof.

 

[PittsDriver]

I removed the screen protectors on my Defenders. I have a screen protector on my phone its self. Having no protector on the Defender is awesome.

 

[phreebsd]

Got mine also! on 11/5/12!

 

[Tilpots]

I removed the screen protectors on my Defenders. I have a screen protector on my phone its self. Having no protector on the Defender is awesome.

Used to do that on my 4's Defender. Loved it! Just really need water protection now. Nothing else out there to fit my needs, but that Liquipel stuff is AWESOME!

 

[phreebsd]

Is a case like this necessary? Im definitely interested in it. It would be great to have all-around protection but i feel it might be overkill as an average user?

great for someone who owns a pool. one of my old phones slipped right in.

 

[VandyChem2009]

Is a case like this necessary? Im definitely interested in it. It would be great to have all-around protection but i feel it might be overkill as an average user?

Casemate has a similar case. Exception being instead of being waterproof it is splash proof. I think it's called Tough or something like that. It's pretty slim offers all the protection of the lifeproof (except waterproofing) and is much cheaper and should fit almost all situations.

 

[jahaova]

I have watched these forums for a long time and gotten great advice but never felt compelled to post anything myself. That changed when I got this case and I felt I needed to share my experience since many have been asking for impressions of it.

I ordered directly from lifeproof and got my case on Saturday and couldn't wait to finally cover my naked phone. I had high hopes for this case as others have really liked theirs and I spend a considerable amount of time on or near water. I followed all of the instructions on their website (unlike the 4/4S case which had instructions in the box, the fre simply points you to their site). The case passed the water test with no problems. I inserted my phone and set about my day. Shortly after that the issues started.

First, I have no rainbow effect and the pillowing is minor. The gap does make navigating somewhat more difficult but it was a sacrifice I was prepared to make for the sake of having my phone protected from an accidental drop into the lake, fishtank, or pool...all of which have happened to family members over the past few years.

The big issues I have are with the proximity sensor and microphone sensitivity. (I carried my phone naked from launch day until Saturday so I know these issues are case-related.)

During one of my first phone calls, I started getting a ringing in my ear that could be heard by the person on the other end. The sound was like you put a microphone next to a speaker and turned the volume up. Terminated the call and tried again. Same thing. It does not happen on every call, but at least 50% of them. I have tried adjusting how I hold and use the phone but it still happens. When there is no ringing/feedback, the person on the other end often complains that I sound muffled or that the microphone is cutting in and out. I feel like I am yelling into my phone for them to hear me. All of these are totally unacceptable side effects which make phone calls a chore.

Another big problem is the interference I'm experiencing with the proximity sensor. Sometimes the screen will light up during a call and I'll be "face-dialing" without knowing it. I have accidentally initiated several facetime calls, dialed into people's ears, and even inadvertantly muted conversations. Other times, when I pull the phone down from my ear, the sensor will not recognize it and won't light the screen. While this is a minor annoyance, it's something that didn't happen before the case and definitely not a welcomed addition to my iP5's functionality! It may not be a big deal for some, but it's not something I'm prepared to deal with.

I took the phone out of the case this morning and everything is functioning properly. The case is lightweight and waterproof, but that's all the praise I can give it.

Oh, and for those of you wondering, the headphone jack is very recessed and I haven't been able to find any cord small enough to fit in the opening on the case. IMHO, the included adapter is the only reliable way to use headphones or other audio devices (and its the only way to ensure your phone is protected from water and dust infilitration). Although for me its another annoyance to have to keep up with the adapter and remove and replace the plug for each use, that's something that will be a personal decision on whether the hassle is worth the protection. Not a deal breaker for me, but when added to my other issues, it certainly doesn't help.

After struggling with this case for four days, I'll be sending it back to lifeproof for a refund. Of course they will keep a 15% restocking fee plus shipping costs, which is irritating when their product does not work for me, but that's a small price to pay to get rid of what I had hoped to be a great product. I'm disappointed in this case to say the least, and I'll go back to running my phone naked until I can find a suitable case.

I purchased 2 cases from Best Buy and both cases have proximity issues as well. LCD is still on when phone is placed near my ear while on a call and then when I lower the phone the screen shuts off. Sometimes I can't even hit the 'End Call' button I have to hit the power button to end the call. Music & ringtones all sound distorted if the volume is set higher than 50%.

I absolutely loved my iphone 4 lifeproof case, but this case is terrible. Add 2 more to the return pile!

 

[malochico1]

Got mine in today. No rainbow effect, fits great and a lot thinner. iPhone 5 with this case like iphone4 without the case. Love it.

Will post close up pictures later tonight

 

[christophermdia]

Yesterday I found my 1 year old hovering above the toilet only to find my i5 sunk at the bottom.....after replacing it today ($229) I decided to stop in Best Buy to find a good case...(I had scuffs on the messed up phone anyway)...they had both the white and black versions of the LP case....I got the black one and I like it a lot sans the screen protector...it does sit slightly above the regular screen..I figure though it will settle with time and heat....even being rugged, this is just about as slim as anything you will find out there....

 

[PittsDriver]

Returned mine today. I don't plan on giving it another shot unless they change the screen protector.

 

[VandyChem2009]

Really I think the only reason you would want this case is if you are always around water.