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Afbar1114

macrumors 6502a
Jun 18, 2012
778
6
looks like mine failed the water test when i opened there was water along the edges and on the inside screen.... it was a 349180.....so back to another BBY tomorrow to see if the have a higher number....luckly i have like 5 of them by me
 

maliu

macrumors 6502a
Jun 24, 2010
700
18
Just got my new Fr case. Had the first edition which was a fail. This one is awesome. Sound is way better than naked for music. Haven't made phone calls yet, but received a recorded message which was loud and clear. Screen was flat out of the box. I'm thrilled to be LP again. Used one on my 4 for a year and a half and missed it. Ziplock bags don't cut it.

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Just made a phone call, no squeal. Person on the other end said it sounded great. Speakerphone test, he heard a little feedback but said it was okay. So far a big win! Happy to be LifeProofed again.
 

Kenjhee

macrumors regular
Jan 30, 2011
126
0
I've had one of these for a couple months now. I will say I am over all satisfied, but only because I seldom install the case. The slight pillowing does bother me a tiny bit, and prefer to run the iPhone naked. I like having the case around for special occasions only. After reassembling a few times to loosen it up, I get the feeling I could do so unlimited times, as long as it's done carefully and the seals inspected. Using a coin to wedge the corner open, the unit disassembles quite easily. I just like the knowledge the case is there if I need it, despite it not being perfect. I would buy it again, even for $80.

I wonder why they designed it with a pillowed screen. The foam and plastic spacers cause the pillowing, so they went to special pains to create the effect, but I wonder what purpose it serves other than reducing tactility.
 

HiRisk

macrumors 6502
Jan 3, 2013
317
0
I'll hold off on the LifeProof. Otterbox is going to unveil the Armor Case series at CES on the 8th of this month. I'll wait and see what they have to offer first. Hopefully it becomes available a little after CES as what some people have speculated.

I currently have my iPhone 5 in an Otterbox Commuter. I'm satisfied with the protection but wouldn't mind a lot more with the Armor series. It is said to have similar if not better protection than the Defender and will be waterproof and dust proof.
 

maliu

macrumors 6502a
Jun 24, 2010
700
18
Kenjhee, If the plastic screen sat right on the glass you'd have major issues with the "oil spot" look (newton's rings). By holding the screen a hair away from the glass it decreases this.
 

icecrystal23

macrumors 6502
Jul 18, 2010
359
0
You guys are giving up too soon. ...
The case right now is as good as advertised. Who knows how it will be in a month or so.

That's exactly why I gave up. How many months and cases will I have to go through to feel like an $80 case was worth it?

IMO, the case is not as good as advertised until all sound, call, clarity, etc. issues are resolved.
 

Colombianito

macrumors member
Jul 16, 2012
73
4
Is the number you guys looking at outside of the box? If that is the case, mine is LP000140XXX. I just tried playing something and the speaker is horrible.

What is the newest "fixed" version for the black case starting off at? What should I be looking for when I go exchange at BB?
 

RoofMonkey911

macrumors member
Dec 12, 2012
77
1
Is the number you guys looking at outside of the box? If that is the case, mine is LP000140XXX. I just tried playing something and the speaker is horrible.

What is the newest "fixed" version for the black case starting off at? What should I be looking for when I go exchange at BB?

The one I received was 494,xxx
 

Kenjhee

macrumors regular
Jan 30, 2011
126
0
Kenjhee, If the plastic screen sat right on the glass you'd have major issues with the "oil spot" look (newton's rings). By holding the screen a hair away from the glass it decreases this.

Ah, very good! That makes sense. Thank you for explaining.

It does beg the question, why are the majority it seems in this thread treating this interstitial gap as though it's a design flaw if it's really addressing another issue (the Newton's Rings problem)?
 
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maliu

macrumors 6502a
Jun 24, 2010
700
18
Because they never took physics?

----------

OtterBox has the same issue. Google baby powder fix.
 

icecrystal23

macrumors 6502
Jul 18, 2010
359
0
Ah, very good! That makes sense. Thank you for explaining.

It does beg the question, why are the majority it seems in this thread treating this interstitial gap as though it's a design flaw if it's really addressing another issue (the Newton's Rings problem)?

It's not solving the rings, it's causing it. LifeProof's own help topic explains:

"Newton Rings, commonly known as the 'rainbow effect', can occur with any case where the screen protector is not adhered to the phone screen itself."
 

maliu

macrumors 6502a
Jun 24, 2010
700
18
The materials cause it but the "gap" fixes it by keeping them from being in constant contact. Therefore the space is by design.
 

icecrystal23

macrumors 6502
Jul 18, 2010
359
0
The materials cause it but the "gap" fixes it by keeping them from being in constant contact. Therefore the space is by design.

The effect is reduced with a smaller gap (as evidenced by version 4 of the Fr), when more the screen protector can lay flat against the screen.

If the surfaces are truly in contact or if they are not touching at all, there is no effect. It occurs when there is a little space between them.
 

secured2k

macrumors member
Nov 6, 2012
35
0
My GF and I both have used Otterbox Defenders where the screen protector touches the screen and does not have that rainbow effect. It does seem a little thinner. Perhaps it's some kind of coating or pre-treatment?
 

Hooterville

macrumors 603
Sep 24, 2012
5,441
9,056
I believe this is the Version 5 Lifeproof iPhone 5 case.
You can see the larger three bumps on the back shell that seem to be part of the actual case and not glued on foreign objects like the version 4 had.

I guess they get the latest LF cases in Japan quicker then us here in the US.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqSsNt5FvnI

;)
 

DanUC6

macrumors 6502a
Feb 6, 2007
714
273
Lifeproof just adding random pieces of plastic everywhere is....PATHETIC!!!! I have #348--- and it still blows. Just feels like it was put together horribly. The screen is so wavy and bumpy its sad.
 

secured2k

macrumors member
Nov 6, 2012
35
0
This is the first version with those lines being a plastic part of the back. They are in all versions.

I believe this is the Version 5 Lifeproof iPhone 5 case.
You can see the larger three bumps on the back shell that seem to be part of the actual case and not glued on foreign objects like the version 4 had.

I guess they get the latest LF cases in Japan quicker then us here in the US.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqSsNt5FvnI

;)
 

Hooterville

macrumors 603
Sep 24, 2012
5,441
9,056
This is the first version with those lines being a plastic part of the back. They are in all versions.

Absolutely not. The 5th version the 3 bumps are much higher and the foam is gone from the inside top speaker part of the case.

The case in this video is the latest 5th version of the Fre case.

Also it has the foam pieces added to the inside edges of the front shell just like the 4th version.
 

secured2k

macrumors member
Nov 6, 2012
35
0
I only watched on my phone up to the part where you can see the back and the back is the same as the first revision. The front is the third or fourth revision. This one had problems with the rubber padding coming loose or falling off if you inserted and removed your phone many times.
They need to add a large pad to the back over the area the apple logo is and find a way to reduce the thickness of the lens covering the proximity sensor.

At this point I am guessing it would be cost prohibitive to redesign this case so they are just trying to make work arounds.
 

Hooterville

macrumors 603
Sep 24, 2012
5,441
9,056
The back is the same as the first version except those three bumps are 2-3 times taller. This is what the latest 5th generation has.
Lifeproof has remolded the back so these bumps are taller and the case is reportedly working fine.

I'll have the 5th version next week and I'll post some pictures.
 

3rdiguy

macrumors 65816
Sep 17, 2012
1,361
611
I just bought my first Lifeproof case for my iphone 5 yesterday and the water test hour was the longest one…ever. I read most of the reviews on this forum and saw most of the YouTube reviews as well so I had a pretty general idea of what to look forward to. At first I was prepared to be disappointed but once I realized exactly what I wanted and what was acceptable it turned out just fine for me. These are my personal views on the case as I purchased it yesterday afternoon(1/4/13) at Best Buy. First, it did feel very flimsy and cheap when I first took it out of the box. I followed the directions and did the water test. After removing the case and wiping it down, I didn't open it properly and the internal plastic piece for the silent switch came loose. I now realize that I had to unscrew the headphone plug and use a coin to pry it open on the bottom right side of the case. After finding where the piece went all is well. I see a slight rain is effect when te screen is off but it's nowhere even close to being a nuisance as I rarely have the screen off when my device is in my hands. At first the speaker sounded like crap and very garbled. When I use it most times my iphone will be plugged up so its no big deal and once again not a nuisance at all. I have the second version as I compared the pics of my case to the ones on this forum. The screen feed ack is way better than I expected and only requires a slight bit more pressure than a naked iphone. I can accept that with a clear conscience. This case is freakishly thin to me and looks real nice and feels nice in my hand. It's like the Batsuit for my phone. I paid full price ($924+) for my Verizon 64GB iPhone 5 so that I can enjoy unlimited LTE(which I really do!) so I definitely want to protect my investment and this case gives me peace of mind in regards to that. I know what it is and what it isn't and don't have the problems that were mentioned in other posts or maybe I don't expect perfection and appreciate what I have and feel like what I paid for is what I have. So I have the black case and would recommend it to those looking for similar peace of mind and protection. I had OB Defender for iPhone 4 and it was hella bulky but for this version I feel Lifeproof nailed it. Thanks
 

dakota316

macrumors member
Dec 3, 2011
65
0
Missouri
Is it just me or is the power button on the new version case harder to press? I have a case #356,xxx and i can tell a big difference in how the power button is pressed. Trying to see if its just my case or no. It even looks a tad different when I compare my #238,xxx to the new one.
 
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