iPhone 6 cases and screen protectors

Oh, the trouble with switching phones can be huge.  At least, this time I didn't have to get new accessories because I changed cables and connectors.

(tl;dr : I bought a Ballistic Tungsten Tough case and Otterbox Glass screen protector)

My iPhone 5c was about one year old and I switched from an iPhone 4s then, also switching from the 30 pin connector to the Lightning connector.  When I got the iPhone 5c, I bought another Otterbox Defender case at the same time as I bought the phone.

It was poorly designed, apparently to be first to market.  People were cutting out the screen protector because it was too far away from the screen it was supposed to protect.  I swore I'd never buy another case from Otterbox.

I'd seen a load of Ballistic brand cases in another store near the Sprint store, and I was close to buying something else.  A couple of months later, I ordered an SG MAXX case from the company directly, as the local store was almost out of them.  It was just as good as that other brand, but it was easy to take off and put on the phone.  Something that was practically impossible with the Defender case.

Okay, so, here I was buying an iPhone 6 with no Ballistic case in hand and I couldn't find a store ahead of time that carried them.  I ended up with a Griffin case than claimed 3 feet for drop protection, and an Otterbox screen protector made of glass.

The screen protector was of great significance since that was a huge problem with the iPhone 5c cases.  As I wrote earlier, many people cut out the Defender screen protector because of the gap between it and the screen.  Ballistic had an add-in screen protector that made it difficult to see the screen.  A corner of the protector would slip out on occasion.  I ended up with an Invisible Shield protector, as it seemed an early and popular choice.

After that year, the Invisible Shield protector had become rather nasty.  The instructions recommended installing it again from time to time, I guess so that you could clean the phone's display.  Even when new, it seemed a bit wrinkled, and that seemed normal.  Even car tint carefully installed can look like this because of the various layers.

The glass screen protector is practically perfect.  There is some adhesive keeping it tightly attached, and it feels as though I'm directly touching the device.

While I could appreciate the Griffin case for its minimalistic design, I prefer not to break my phone if I drop it.  No phone is attractive when it's in more than one piece.  I also don't care to advertise the Apple logo out the back of the case.  Why invite trouble?

So, I was in a Best Buy a few days later during the Christmas rush and found three Ballistic cases that were not on the company's website.  I'm guessing that these are higher profit, lower cost cases made specifically for Best buy.  I'm cynical, but is that wrong?

$34.99, $39.99, or $49.99?  I wasn't sure what to trust.  I still wasn't sure if they were fakes.  I chose the $39.99 Tungsten Tough case, labeled 7+ feet drop tested.  It's not as thin as the $34.99 case, but I had been using a case with a holster previously.  I'm thinking that I still want that extra protection, although it's a pain to get the phone open quickly to answer a call.

How much is $849.99 worth to you?  If you don't have enough protection and need to have the device fixed or replaced, what if that cost exceeds $49.99?  Is a pretty case worth the extra cost of repairs?

Update 2015.04.03: The Ballistic brand case has been as good as the previous case for the iPhone 5c.  I've dropped the iPhone 6 a few times and the case has kept the phone safe, and even the case seems to be fine.  In fact, it is incredibly difficult to separate the phone and case.  That's almost a good thing, although there was dirt inside of the case.  It's surprising how good the iPhone 6 feels by itself but I'd hate to see it smashed on the floor.

It was a while later that Ballistic's web site showed the Tungsten-branded models that are apparently only available at Best Buy.  That gave me a better feeling about spending US$39.99, because I'm not always trusting of Best Buy.

I still miss the holster clip, so I may buy one of those.  I've noticed a problem with the phone further down in my pocket--lint.  It's having more trouble with charging than usual.  Some cables aren't working 100% of the time.  The car charger sometimes stops charging during a trip, so I find that the phone is at 50% or less.  I guess that's the problem of not having a case with a flap over the Lightning port.

iPhone 5c cases: Otterbox Defender vs Ballistic SG MAXX

Bottom line: I'm using a Ballistic SG MAXX with an Invisible Shield screen protector.

Since I got my iPhone 5c, it's been inside an Otterbox Defender case.  I didn't even have a chance to handle it at the store.  This is much the same situation I had with my iPhone 4s, until such time as I needed to wash the case.

The big difference between the two Otterbox Defender cases was the fit.  Where the iPhone 4s case was sloppy, the 5c case was taut, and vice versa.  There was one huge problem: the fit of the screen protector.  It didn't fit against the surface of the display, so that there were two presses--one press against the screen protector and another as the screen protector contacted the display.  It made for poor touch screen performance because you wouldn't actually end up pressing precisely where you intended.

There seem to be hundreds of reviews on Amazon.com about the screen protector, and I was told by the salesperson at the Sprint store that three of his customers simply cut away the screen protector.  However, on a US$49.99 product that should have been designed correctly, I wasn't about to damage it intentionally.  There is something about being first to market with your product, but if being first brings you hate mail because of an incorrect design, why not wait?

So, I bought a Ballstic SG MAXX (apparently renamed to Tough Jacket Maxx) for my iPhone 5c.  Apparently, the Hard Core case is not available for this device.  Amidst the Christmas buying and shipping season, I waited a few days for this case to arrive from the Miami, Florida area, normally an 24 hour drive for me.

It arrived in a fairly big box with only the case in a Ziploc-type bag with the paperwork inside it.  There was no packing.  There were no instructions but there was a "Ballistic" sticker that I could use along with my Apple stickers.

Getting the phone out of the Defender case was the big deal.  I suspect no one at Otterbox considered that one would remove it, ever.  Taking away the rubbery silicone layer isn't difficult.  Being careful avoids damage, of course.  Removing the hard shell is the painful part.  As with the 4s case, looking from the back, you release the clips on the left and right sides.  Replacing the 4s case clip on top is a !@#$ tiny piece of plastic which acts as a retainer on the 5c case.  It's impossible to grasp, and I couldn't seem to make it collapse by pressing on it.  Somehow, with a little force, I managed to release it.  At that point, you tilt the back and remove it (as with the 4s case), and remove the phone from the front piece.

The SG MAXX case was quite different.  The rubbery silicone fits on the phone first, along with the somewhat rigid screen protector, which is a separate, loose piece.  You then add the hard shell, and work with the silicone piece to make sure everything is covered properly.  It can be placed in the holster at this point.  There was an included graphic on the interior of the holster depicting another product, but reminding you to face the display inward to avoid damage.

It works quite well, although the screen protector gives a sparkly, matte look to the display.  However, as a thin sheet, it can be removed easily and something else, such as Invisible Shield can be put in place instead.  Having been out into the world to use the phone and case, I've noticed something odd.  It doesn't want to stay in the holster all that securely.  Maybe, it's something I've done and it's wider than it should be.  I'll keep working on it.  Update 2013.12.29: That didn't take long to annoy.  The fit of the screen protector is not quite right, and changes the more you mess with the case.  I finally removed it and bought an Invisible Shield protector for another US$14.95, which means that I've spent over US$100 on two cases and one screen protector.  Grrrrr.

For those trying to impress people with your Apple-ness, the logo on the back is not visible with the Ballistic SG MAXX case.  With the Defender case, it wasn't centered properly, but it was visible.  My take is that it's better not to show it.  If people think that they can steal something to sell it later, they will try.  Besides, it's just a phone, and it's not worth your life.

I'm not quite sure whether I'm going to try to return the Otterbox Defender to the point of sale or request an RMA to send it to them for a warranty exchange.  They really need to know what's wrong with it, although I suspect that they know quite well, and have re-designed the case after getting an iPhone 5c.

Update 2014.06.12: This morning, the little flap over the Lightning connecter port broke.  I guess it shouldn't be totally unexpected.  I have to move it out of the way frequently, and the phone goes into the holster and that goes into the pocket a lot.  Will I notice a difference in protection?  Probably, I won't.  The rest of the case, both hard and soft parts seem to be okay.

Update 2014.08.24: A month or so ago, I was in a mall and someone selling cases was pushy and told me that Otterbox had glass as their latest screen protector.  Recently, Invisible Shield also has a glass version.  Certainly, it would be helpful for maximum display clarity.  My Ballistic SG MAXX case continues to be fine, even after dropping it a few more times.

Update 2014.12.13: I've switched to the iPhone 6, and I refused to buy another Otterbox Defender, since it was so difficult to remove.  All the Sprint kiosk had otherwise, was a Griffin case that said it had been tested to 3 feet.  About a week later, I found some Best Buy-only Ballistic brand cases at, you guessed it, Best Buy.  I bought the Tungsten Tough for $39.99.  It mostly seems like the SG MAXX/Tough Jacket Maxx without the holster clip, but it has an aluminum plate on the back, as though it is hiding that it is a Ballistic product.

Update 2016.11.16: I've got an iPhone 7 and a pair of Ballistic cases of it.  Read more here.