Ever since I experienced the anguish of back-to-back iPhone screen-shattering accidents, I have been firmly pro-case.
« It’s just safer and …
Ever since I experienced the anguish of back-to-back iPhone screen-shattering accidents, I have been firmly pro-case. « It’s just safer and more pragmatic, » I told myself after my iPhone 7, and later my iPhone 8, had their screens irreparably cracked following accidental drops. « Why risk spending another thousand bucks on an iPhone? » But all it took was a single, seemingly mundane moment to alter my perspective: When I slipped off the case to extract the SIM card from my iPhone 12 Pro Max after months of leaving it swaddled in rubber. I was instantly reminded of why these phones are premium: The flat display looked all the more stunning without the case prodding from the sides. The phone felt lighter and more comfortable in my hands and the soothing Pacific blue shone through, unadulterated. It was as if the very integrity of the iPhone’s hardware had been revealed. « Maybe you should go caseless, it’ll be awesome… » a voice in my head whispered. « Nah, you’re crazy! » interrupted another, louder voice. « Pop the case back on ASAP and forget about it! Not worth the risk. » Ignoring the rational voice in my head, I then decided to find out if I was the only person bonkers enough to secretly want to carry a $1,200 iPhone without a case. I wasn’t. After a little digging — a quick Google — I discovered droves caseless iPhone crusaders: Fans claiming that using a naked iPhone is the only way to experience the best known consumer tech product on the planet. « This phone [iPhone 12] is too gorgeous to hide away, » said one Reddit user in response to a question about going case or caseless. « I’m rocking it naked. Bought Apple care for peace of mind, » wrote another person on Reddit. « Ceramic coming in clutch, » the post said, referring to Apple’s ceramic shielding, which the company said offers 4x better drop protection than the iPhone 12’s predecessor.
