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It's really hard to tell by the box what genreration you are going to get. It seems that these generations vary and are not consistent with the higher numbers. The best bet is if you go to best buy check the case before you buy it. The pillow effect is when the screen doses not sit flush with the screen and you get air pockets on the screen in between the lhone and screen saver.

Typically what numbers are we looking for? Around 190k+? Because I don't wanna go to best buy either and open every lifeproof case they have.
 
It's really hard to tell by the box what genreration you are going to get. It seems that these generations vary and are not consistent with the higher numbers. The best bet is if you go to best buy check the case before you buy it. The pillow effect is when the screen doses not sit flush with the screen and you get air pockets on the screen in between the lhone and screen saver.

Thanks man! And what do I look for in a case If I want the latest version or best model?
 
I'm in New Jersey and just purchased a white lifeproof case. It's number is 166,xxx. It's the best one I've seen so far. I've gone threw at least 8 or 9 cases. This one ill will be keeping. They removed the padding inside by the top speaker. They also have 2 little white plastic pieces on the back for sound. It might be the 4th edition like others had mentioned.
 
I'm in New Jersey and just purchased a white lifeproof case. It's number is 166,xxx. It's the best one I've seen so far. I've gone threw at least 8 or 9 cases. This one ill will be keeping. They removed the padding inside by the top speaker. They also have 2 little white plastic pieces on the back for sound. It might be the 4th edition like others had mentioned.

Thanks for the input on the white ones. I was just at a Best Buy looking for one but the highest they had in white was 98,XXX (lower than what I already have.

They had a bunch of black ones though that were 198,XXX and I could see without opening the box that they didn't have the foam just above the top if the screen (so they must be Gen 4. I could see that the 98,XXX white ones had it.
 
Thanks to everyone I managed to get a good case so far. Went to best buy looked through all the black cases like a nut. The best I found was 78,XXX, was disappointed so before I left I found another section of lifeproof cases. I managed to get 219,XXX and it payed off. It does have a thick black pastie on the bottom of the apple logo as you all advised. I left my screen protector on and so far no rainbow effect, not sure what you guys mean by "pillow effect". Screen is probably a little less sensitive, I do have to use a little bit more strength as far as texting and swiping down the notifications center. Over all it's been very good. I guess time will tell, will update in a month.
 
Thanks to everyone I managed to get a good case so far. Went to best buy looked through all the black cases like a nut. The best I found was 78,XXX, was disappointed so before I left I found another section of lifeproof cases. I managed to get 219,XXX and it payed off. It does have a thick black pastie on the bottom of the apple logo as you all advised. I left my screen protector on and so far no rainbow effect, not sure what you guys mean by "pillow effect". Screen is probably a little less sensitive, I do have to use a little bit more strength as far as texting and swiping down the notifications center. Over all it's been very good. I guess time will tell, will update in a month.

Can you post a picture showing the inside of the front & back of the case?
Thanks.
 
I switched my 156,xxx out after seeing there was a newer generation out. This one is a 256,xxx has 2 black plastic pieces on the inside back like that picture a few pages back and no padding on the top front which makes the screen feedback a ton better. Just a very slightly harder tap is needed for the top left because there's some tiny piece of tinted plastic over the proximity sensor
 
Can you post a picture showing the inside of the front & back of the case?
Thanks.

If I can open it again without destroying it, no problem ...here you go
 

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I switched my 156,xxx out after seeing there was a newer generation out. This one is a 256,xxx has 2 black plastic pieces on the inside back like that picture a few pages back and no padding on the top front which makes the screen feedback a ton better. Just a very slightly harder tap is needed for the top left because there's some tiny piece of tinted plastic over the proximity sensor

Can you please post a picture of yours?
 
Can you please post a picture of yours?

It is exactly the same as yours back on page 20. The inside front does not have padding towards the top and the back has two clear plastic pieces instead of the black pad and black foam instead of the white foam in the 3rd gen case.

Does anyone know if removing that extra tinted plastic over the proximity sensor will affect anything? That seems to be the only flaw that I can find with my screen. It holds up the very left upper corner just enough that you have to press slightly harder.
 
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I have a gen 3 case and after almost a week of usage I have no complaints. And for those wondering, the air definitely settles out of the case. My screen kinda looked like a half pipe when first installed but it has definitely settled out a good bit after almost a week.
 
Went by my local BB today and exchanged my version 3 for a version 4. I believe Lifeproof finally worked the kinks out. Much tighter fit between screen protector and screen and the vibration is nonexistent while listening to music. Hopefully it will not change overnight like my version 3 did.....lol

Serial number is 197,909 and it is the white edition

As long as it doesn't change overnight, I believe this will cause me to sell my Element Sector 5.
 
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Went by my local BB today and exchanged my version 3 for a version 4. I believe Lifeproof finally worked the kinks out. Much tighter fit between screen protector and screen and the vibration is nonexistent while listening to music. Hopefully it will not change overnight like my version 3 did.....lol

Serial number is 197,909 and it is the white edition

As long as it doesn't change overnight, I believe this will cause me to sell my Element Sector 5.

keep us posted. can yall post pics of the "right" case? Which Gen held up the best and has no rattling, pillowing etc?
 
The pics of the gen 4 case are in post 499 a couple of pages back. I just picked up a white and a black gen 4 case for my wife and I. The white was serial number 278xxx and the black was 197xxx.

The 'pillow' effect at the top of the screen was the biggest problem for me with the previous versions (I had also used a gen 1 and gen 2) and this case helps with that, but because of the lens over the prox sensor there is still a bit of an issue at the top of the case. It's better on the right side of the screen, but the left and middle of the screen still has a gap.

I actually took off the grey plastic over the prox sensor on both of my cases. This allows the top of the screen protector to fit nearly flush with the phone. I played around with the phones a bit making calls and testing the prox sensor and in a few minutes of testing I didn't see any issues. I'll see how it goes after using the phones for a few days.

Brett
 
The pics of the gen 4 case are in post 499 a couple of pages back. I just picked up a white and a black gen 4 case for my wife and I. The white was serial number 278xxx and the black was 197xxx.

The 'pillow' effect at the top of the screen was the biggest problem for me with the previous versions (I had also used a gen 1 and gen 2) and this case helps with that, but because of the lens over the prox sensor there is still a bit of an issue at the top of the case. It's better on the right side of the screen, but the left and middle of the screen still has a gap.

I actually took off the grey plastic over the prox sensor on both of my cases. This allows the top of the screen protector to fit nearly flush with the phone. I played around with the phones a bit making calls and testing the prox sensor and in a few minutes of testing I didn't see any issues. I'll see how it goes after using the phones for a few days.

Brett

I pulled off the lens thing over the proximity sensor after reading this. The screen feedback in the upper corner is much better now. I've tested it and it doesn't seem to have affected anything. The screen turns off during calls and Siri responds if you bring the phone to your ear. I don't see what it was for
 
I pulled off the lens thing over the proximity sensor after reading this. The screen feedback in the upper corner is much better now. I've tested it and it doesn't seem to have affected anything. The screen turns off during calls and Siri responds if you bring the phone to your ear. I don't see what it was for

I have been following this thread for a while. I have had three cases total (2 Gen 2 and 1 Gen 3). Gen 3 is in the 220K's.

Question for this post, how difficult was it to take that plastic off the proximity sensor area? And it passed the water test afterward? Why would that even be on there?

Looking at my 4S case, there is nothing covering the proximity sensor, just a clear spot through the cover. In fact there are not any foam inserts anywhere on the case (front or back).

My two biggest issues with the Fre (I was able to do some of the tricks mentioned to take care of the vibration of the back against the phone) have been the Proximity Sensor and callers on the other end complaining.

The complaint has been that I all will sound fine, then all of the sudden it sounded my voice would become very faint and distant (hard to hear for the person I am talking with). Then it would go back to normal, then distant and so on.

I wanted to hear what they were talking about, and sure enough it does do it. I just called my office line and left myself a long message (reading something out loud into the phone). I could hear it doing what was described.

I am not sure what is causing this (could be related to the proximity sensor?). I am going to take the Gen 3 back to BB and exchange it once again. Hope to get the Gen 4.
 
Question for this post, how difficult was it to take that plastic off the proximity sensor area? And it passed the water test afterward? Why would that even be on there?

It was quite easy... I just gently pried it up with my fingernail and the plastic lens came off. It left some stickyness on the case under the lens, but I just ignored it. So far the stickyness doesn't seem to be causing any problems. The plastic screen protector still covers the phone in that spot, so there are no problems with water.

As far as why they put on there, I have no idea. I'm sure they have a reason, but so far after a few calls I haven't really noticed any downside to removing it.
 
Here is the white one I got today (#197,909):

Image
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****Absolutely loving it so far.

That's a new gen 4 case with the two plastic bumps.
I'm just worried about those hard plastic bumps damaging the finish on my black iPhone 5 after a while.

Do you think they will damage the finish on the back of the iPhone?
 
That's a new gen 4 case with the two plastic bumps.
I'm just worried about those hard plastic bumps damaging the finish on my black iPhone 5 after a while.

Do you think they will damage the finish on the back of the iPhone?

I don't think it will. They aren't as hard as they appear, but time will tell....lol
 
Just wanted to chime in that I got one of the Gen 4 cases as well an I'm much happier with the screen protector now. Mine is a white one #163,XXX.

The screen sits flush other than the pad/lens thing on the proximity sensor. I might have to try taking that off. My only complaint now is that I think I got one that was previously opened or returned! There was half of a clear, circular sticker under the full one on the box (the one you have to cut or remove to open it), the big orange sticker on the back of the case was in the box but not stuck to the case, and the screen protector was dirty and has a white scratch on it. The rainbow effect on the screen is also horrible...much worse than with any of the previous cases I've had. I'm hoping that's a result of the dirty screen or something, but has anyone with a Gen 4 case had more problems with the rainbow effect than before since the screen protector sits more flush?

I'm not too happy since I found this at a Best Buy while our of town this weekend so hopefully one of the local stores has white ones with the higher serial numbers in soon. I checked on Friday and one had black cases in the 199,XXX range but nothing over 99,XXX in white. I am, however, very happy with this latest version of the case other than the condition mine came in. I'm kind of curious however if Best Buy is to blame or if Lifeproof is refurbishing the older ones that are being returned. I suspect it isn't Lifeproof though because they couldn't re-use a box by putting a new sticker on it since it'd have the old serial #.
 
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