When I first went to pick up my iPhone 3G, I was scared. I know what my hands are capable of: Horrible, unthinkable acts of clumsiness. I’ve hurt myself. I’ve hurt others. I’ve even hurt my kitties. So why would I want to put this salvific piece of tech gold into harms way? I need to protect this treasure, specifically because I don’t have another $600 to spend on a replacement. And I will be needing one soon.
I don’t put my iPhone in a case. You shouldn’t either.
I really have only one reason why my iPhone doesn’t wear clothes, and it offends iPhone case owners every time I talk about my decision. Sure, I can mention that I don’t like the current selection of cases, but that isn’t true. I really would love to have a macro lens option on my iPhone, so the Griffin Clarifi taunts me every time I walk into the Apple Store. I can show you exactly where it is: second shelving unit, bottom row on the middle right. I can also mention that I don’t like the scratches that cases put on the iPhone, but if it’s in the case all the time, you’re really never going to see them, are you?
My only reason for going caseless is this: A case doesn’t allow me to experience the iPhone. It just means I’m using a bulkier, less attractive iPhone.
I don’t use a screen protector for the same reason. I’m just not getting the same experience if I add all this protective gear. Seriously, you look better when you’re not wearing a retainer and safety goggles. It’s a fact.
Scratch Resistance and Apple Care
Believe it or not, your iPhone is scratch resistant where it matters most. I throw my phone onto sandy countertops. I put it in the same front pocket as my keys in my tight jeans so you know there’s some rubbing. And I have yet to see a scratch on the front of my iPhone. Granted, the back has scratches and wearing on the corners, but that’s not important to me and apparently a case does that to your phone anyway.
Also, my current iPhone is a replacement for my last iPhone which was a replacement for my first iPhone. Because I don’t have a case on my iPhone, dust gets under the screen and eventually builds up to the point where I can’t stand it anymore. When I took my phone to Apple, they replaced it with a new one the first two times. Last time I went they just replace the screen rather than the whole phone.
The Trade Off
So yes, if you work construction and you like to jackhammer and talk on the phone then you should put that gorgeous piece of technology in something protective. And yes, if you go caseless you’re going to get lint under your screen. But no casual case is going to save your baby from that urinal. And since a case can’t offer you potty insurance, why not enjoy your phone the way Steve meant it to be?

Related Posts -
Video Post: Stay Connected with Flock 2.0 Back in the day, I posted about the beauty of keeping your social networking sites at your fingertips. With the new release of Flock (v 2.0) I decided to do a little how-to screencast outlining the features of Flock. ...... -
Germs and YouTube: Viral Marketing and Recruiting I Obsess Over Restaurants Come to think of it... I obsess over a lot of things. If you have a couple of conversations with me, you'll know that I love this restaurant called holé molé, that I got my Macbook Pro for 400 bucks, and that there's an AAMCO just...... -
Putting Spin on the Inappropriate in Myspace and Facebook Not That We Hunt for This Stuff I'm not sure that using SNSs for screening is a good thesis for Counselor MySpace pages. It betrays trust, word gets out that your institution befriends students to find out their darkest secrets and your campaign to reach students through MySpace and Facebook...... -
Top Ten Must Have Jailbreak Apps For The iPhone I just published a list of Jailbreak apps that should convince anyone that their iPhone can do better. You can find the same list in my Must Have iPhone Apps list, but in the Cult of Mac article I give a healthy description of the app plus a couple...... -
A Complete Guide to Jailbreaking and Must Have Apps for iPhone and iPod Touch I wrote up a complete guide to jailbreaking your iPhone or iPod Touch over at Cult of Mac. Also, I updated my Must Have iPhone Apps List to include the jailbreak list I used in my complete guide. Here's a quote from the guide: Why Should I Jailbreak? Most iPhone......
Related Websites -
Hands-on with iOS 4 update for iPhone, iPod Touch [/caption] by Ben Patterson At last, the latest major update for the iPhone and iPod Touch is available for download via iTunes, bringing with it such long-awaited features as multitasking, a unified e-mail inbox and home-screen app folders. Should you upgrade? Well, yeah, but don't expect all your apps to...... -
Google Nexus One vs Apple iPhone 3GS By Prince McLean from Apple Insider Google has taken the fate of its Android smartphone platform into its own hands by promoting and directly marketing HTC's latest new Android phone under its own brand. How does the new "superphone" stack up to last summer's iPhone 3GS? AppleInsider has presented a...... -
Google Introduces Nexus One to Public After weeks of anticipation from techies the world over, Google has unveiled to members of the press the Nexus One, its first consumer electronics device previously known as the Google Phone. Set to compete with Apple's iPhone and Research in Motion's BlackBerry, the HTC-made Nexus One runs an updated...... -
Apple iPhone 4 [/caption] Some will still consider Apple's iPhone the benchmark for today's smartphones, but its revised design raises issues we haven't seen in a phone of this calibre before. Those upgrading from an iPhone 3G would be wise to consider a 3GS instead. Reviewing the iPhone 4 a month after its...... -
Will Next Week’s Apple Event Finally Bring Background Apps To The iPhone? Will Next Week’s Apple Event Finally Bring Background Apps To The iPhone? by Jason Kincaid on January 19, 2010 This morning, after many months of rampant speculation over the enigmatic Tablet, Apple officially invited scores of press to a special media event to be held January 27. The debut of......

{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I agree. My philosophy for not dressing my iPhone is the same reason why I don’t put a bra on my car or a cover over my TV. If you buy something nice, why the heck are you going to cover it up with something??? Enjoy it, let others enjoy it.
I feel you sir!
Josh, may all your iPhone drops be on carpeting. Thanks for the comment.
so i guess you are opposed to wearing condoms too. well sir, i protect my penis and my iphone. i dont have the time to goto the iphone store and get my phone replaced constantly for letting it go unprotected. also i dont have time to get cured of stds constantly either. do yourself a favor. protect your shit.
I totally agree – my ifrog case diminishes the beauty of the iPhone. That said, I’ve only had my 3G S for 3 months, and the case is already trashed and I’m on my third screen film. I’m just too rough on my stuff, and too cheap to pay for the “extended warranty” (which always feels like a rip-off to me). So my phone will remain covered.