Around a month ago I decided to replace the battery in my iPhone XR since the battery health said the battery was degraded even though it also said it had 9% capacity. While I was at it, I also replaced the front glass because I figured I was going to keep it for the long haul and it was much cheaper than buying any of the iPhone 12s. In retrospect, I probably didn't need to replace anything in my phone.
Well, Santa Clause shocked me and brought me a 128GB iPhone 12 mini. It reminds me of my OG SE and 5s before that. I love how narrow it is as opposed to the poptart that is my XR and all the bigger phones. lol
I didn't get a case with it and I'm starting to wonder if I could get by without one. I usually like the Apple cases, but all the new ones are crazy expensive. I had a leather case on my 5s and the first couple weeks I had my OR SE before it cracked, so it made me wonder how long the leather cases will last. I've heard similar things about the silicone ones, although theoretically they would make it easier to grip the phone. I love the clear case I have on my XR though.
I don't put my keys in my pocket with my phone and I've been lucky enough to have never dropped my phones, so they're always in pristine condition (knock on wood lol). So I wonder if I could save the $50 or $60 this time around.
Comments
I don't think you should go…
I don't think you should go caseless on an IPhone.
I got my first IPhone in 2019 and since they're usually quite delicate though I have been lucky to never have dropped my phones I won't say you should :)
A regret
My brother did it with the SE first generation and regreted it. Since the sides of the phone case were scratched, the sale price of the phone dropped by like 200 liras.
Personally, I wouldn't take a chance.
An iPhone is too expensive for that. It took me abouta year and a half, but the day finally came when I dropped my phone, and fortunately it landed case side down. I also have a tempered glass screen protector. Better to replace that than having to deal with a busted screen, and I don't even want to think about the damage that could be done to the back of the phone.
Don't Go Caseless
I've dropped my phone several times on concrete over the years, gotten stuff spilled on it, etc, but it's still alive because I have a case and screen protector on it. If I didn't protect it at all it almost certainly be a dirty, cracked mess. As previous posters have said, scratched/cracked iPhones have dramatically reduced resale values, and trade-in values with Apple will be negatively impacted as well. Since the iPhone 12 Mini has aluminum sides and a glossy glass back, it might also collect fingerprints and micro-scratches which won't ruin your experience but will not be aesthetically pleasing. The cases Apple makes (even the new MagSafe ones), are too expensive for the price to be justified. I recommend getting a tempered glass screen protector and decent case from Amazon instead (a 3-pack of screen protectors costs about $10 and a decent case from a company like Spigen won't cost much more than that). Hope this helps.
you probably knew what sort of answers you'd be getting
so maybe you just asked rhetorically? but you won't be disappointed, i have gone caseless since iphone 5. i always say "cases are for sissies", hey, but if you do use a case, i'm not calling you a sissy, just so we understand.
that piece of lousy plastic costs $20--60? i thought iphone is overpriced, and the case is probably 50 times more overpriced, and the whole world waste literally billions of dollars for it every year.
caseless feels so much better, that's what the phone is designed for. every year they talk about high grade aluminum, stainless steel, so beautiful, so high tech,and you take it out of the box and immediately put a case over it and probably never touch it again, what sense does it make? why not just make the phone in plastic? and if the phone is meant to use in a case, manufacturers ought to give you a case or simply make the phone more durable. go caseless, once you do, you'll know how much you've been missing.
Not for everyone
I'd say it's not for me and a lot of people who can't afford to buy a new phone if it breaks beyond repair. And, come on, companies won't even provide a charger for their phones in the near future unless you pay for it, it's not wise to think they want you to use phones without cases just because phones don't come with a case on the box.
It depends
How careful are you with your phones? Do you have extended warranty? Do you find yourself frequently knocking or bumping your phone against other objects? Are you okay with having scuffs, scratches, scrapes, and cracks if and when you do damage your phone? Personally, I know I drop my phone on occasion, and I also sometimes bump my hip against my desk or other objects. I'm also paranoid about resting the thing on its back and potentially scratching the lenses, and as Zack from JerryRigEverything has taught us, they're not pure sapphire. I'm also one of those obsessive types who hates anything bigger than a microscratch, so for me the answer is obviously a yes to a case.
All of those questions are important to ask before going caseless. If you know you don't drop or knock your phones, but still want some scratch protection, you could try applying a vinyl skin. Also, on the topic of cases, you don't have to buy the official ones. I personally love Spigen cases because they're cheap, aren't too bulky, and provide basic impact protection.
Re: Does anyone here go caseless? | AppleVis
Hi, I've had iPhones for a good decade now and no I never go caseless as I prefer the feel of the phone in a case in my hand and I prefer the higher return I get when it's time to trade it in or sell it as mine always rate in mint condition whether I trade them into my carrier, Apple or a third party like Gazelle.com. I prefer the cases from supcase which can be found at their own site or Amazon. I know the question pertained to going caseless I only mention the cases I choose because they give me more than adequate protection without substantial bulk or a hefty price as they usually sell for one averaging around $20 or there abouts for one of their cases. They've served me well for many years. I've no affiliation I'm just a happy satisfied user. And with that I'll be quiet again. Good luck with whatever you choose. As with most things in life it's what works best for you and your use case. Take good care.
You can go caseless but its a risk
I've never gone caseless. While you can certainly go caseless, its a big risk, not really worth taking.
Assess the risks
The best answer for this question depends on the individual. Each person must assess the risks for him or herself. If you're prone to dropping or bumping your phone a lot, then a case makes a lot of sense for that reason alone. But if you never drop your phone and are otherwise careful and easy on your phone, then I suspect you could get by without a case. Like LaBoheme, I know that Jonathan Mosen is a strong advocate for going caseless. Personally, I don't use a case for protection, I use a case that allows me to carry my ID and credit cards in the case. That way, I don't need to carry a billfold. Other's might want to use a battery case to extend the battery life of their phone. You'll have to evaluate the risks and advantages for yourself.
Going caseless and replacing glass
I went caseless for a number of years with my iPhone 6. The tactile feel of the phone is very nice and I was always very careful.
But, as statistics usually work this way, I finally did drop the phone and crack the glass which started peeling away from the edges so it wasn't merely cosmetic.
So I spent $100 replacing the glass and another $30 or $40 for a case. Now I have an iPhone XR and I certainly have a case on it after learning my lesson. Those smooth, nice feeling phones, will eventually fall.
BTW, our daughter recently dropped her iPhone and cracked the glass. After doing some checking it turned out that her credit card offered some sort of protection plan that came with the card and she got the glass replaced for free. So you might check that out. sometimes there are hidden benefits on these credit cards!
--Pete
the phone does come in a nice case
i guess the real question is whether you should go naked. they advertise the case a lot, apple certainly does. space aluminum, surgical stainless steel, new gorilla glass that is tougher than ever. beautiful, piece of art, sounds so good, and you definitely pay a premium for that. turns out you can't enjoy it at all, so why the waste?
now, as one poster says, you might eventually drop your phone and need $100 to replace glass. look at it this way: the case won't necessarily protect you from this unless you use a real bulky case. and how often does this happen? maybe three years? well, in three years, your cases likely cost even more, and if the glass still costs more, the difference isn't huge, it's not like you do this everyday. the most important thing is you got to enjoy what the phone is design to look and feel.
go naked, and if you do break your phone, come bak and tell me about it, i'll give you a hug.
No thanks
It’s way too much money spent on a single device for me to take this risk. We don’t use dollars in my country
I have a rose-gold IPhone…
I have a rose-gold IPhone. though I can't see the colors, I found it might be a nice choice. and if you want to kepe the asthetics of your phone visible, then u can use a cleare silicone cake like me.. if you're sure you won't drop your phone or bump/nock it by mistake.
Cases
Hi, Apple makes some nice cases and as usual charges a premium. So if the main issue is cost, there are plenty of third party sellers. I stuck a $10 case on my iPhone XR and it worked fine for years.
The other bigger thing for me than the actual concern of dropping it is I set the phone down at times. A case protects the camera bump that sticks out so far. And for me, using Seeing AI in Short text mode works best by placing the phone screen side down and holding the item above the camera. I much prefer it to rest on the edges of the case than directly on the screen. I generally try to trade or resell my phones every few years, so it is worth it to me. If you have no intention of trying to resell it, and don't care about bumps and scratches, and/or replacement cost is no issue, hey enjoy your phone however you like.
With the new ceramic shield front glass I think it is more debatable if the screen protectors are needed. Even so, is it really worth it? I don't' have the new phone type yet, but I will probably let others give that new glass a test before I do. Even if it didn't cost about the something like $249? to replace the screen, there isn't an Apple Store in walking distance around here.
Don’t take that risk
You need case or your IPhone will break
get a case
I got this case and it works well. It has a screen protector built in. If I went with a battery case I would just buy a screen protector. the link for the case is below.
https://amazon.com/s?k=GUARDIAN+-+2020+APPLE+IPHONE+SE+%282ND+GEN%29&ref=nb_sb_noss
You don't have to keep it in the case all the time...
It's a little like an instrument, I suppose. Use the case when you know you'll be likely to drop it on hard surfaces, and take it out when you want to show it off.
Personally, I leave mine in the case all the time, and it's saved my phone from several idiotic accidents. You ever have your hand let go of something for no reason, or because you're picking something up with the other hand? Maybe it's an old man thing...
I have 5 cases
I have an iPhone 10s and 5 cases -- one ordinary thin silicon I can wirelessly charge through, and 4 battery cases that are extremely useful, especially when I go camping. I also have a layer of protective glass that I bought from the Apple store. I previously owned a 6s and a 5s, each of which were still in mint condition when I upgraded.
I'm pretty tough on things, not out of any intention but because I'm not very timid when I move around. I gouge and scratch and bump and knock things like rings on my fingers or a watch on my wrist. I also tend to drop my iPhones. not on purpose but because I have the unfortunate tendency to bump it in my hand when I'm moving around. Oh well. Maybe you can see? If so, then I imagine you're not very concerned about damaging your stuff. That's cool. I wish I didn't have to be concerned, but there it is. I hate destroying the appearance or function of the things I own.
Joy!
Bruce
Re: Case or no case
Yes, the phones feel very nice when used caseless, and yes, eventually one will drop a phone even if it has a case and something may break.
However, it is precisely the nice feel of the caseless phone that makes it even more likely to be dropped if one isn't using a case. Those phones are very smooth and slippery. Most cases are a lot less resistant to slipping out of one's hand.
Kind of funny that apple puts all the effort and money into making such a beautiful phone that people usually wind up covering with cases!
--pete
I too wouldn't recommend it
Wh ile y ou might in a perfect world manage to snot break your iPhone without a case, it's far too expensive to chance. You don't have to getone of those expensive apple cases; there are plenty of third party ones which are fantastic for much cheaper. I suggest going with one.
Caseless and Fine
I'm going on three or four years caseless with no horror stories, first with my 6S that I only traded in because the headphone jack was starting to malfunction, and now two years with my XR. I actually find that I drop my phone much less often since I stopped using a case. When I used a case I think it lulled me into a false sense of security, so I would get careless and be more likely to drop the phone. Now, I drop it very rarely, and then only in low-risk situations (sitting down over carpet, etc). My theory is that I am more nervous about dropping and breaking my phone without a case, so I'm more aware of how securely I'm holding it. And since no case is perfect, the only way to guarantee your phone's safety is to not drop it at all, meaning going case-free has worked out pretty well for me.