News
Video shows Apple Bumper no help on drops
By Charles Starrett
Contributing Editor
Published: Friday, July 9, 2010
News Categories: iPhone Accessories
A brief drop test video posted online shows that Apple’s Bumper cases for the iPhone 4 offer little more protection than carrying the device bare. The video shows a man dropping the iPhone, encased in a Bumper, from roughly ear height multiple times until damage is visible. Mac Rumors notes that with the iPhone 4 inside the Bumper, it took three drops before the front glass cracked, the same number it took to break a bare iPhone 4. While Apple’s Bumper case has proven to be beneficial in dealing with the phone’s reception issues, it appears to offer little in the way of drop protection for users worried about potential damage.
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1
Not exactly a scientific test, considering that there is no control over how the iPhone lands. Really, they should be measuring the impact force of an iPhone 4falling from ear height, and then applying that amount of controlled force to various points on the iPhone 4, both in and out of a bumper case.
As it stands, this test is basically anecdotal evidence.
Posted by didymos! on July 9, 2010 at 7:05 AM (PST)
2
If you want more protection, buy a thicker case that covers better. DUH!
Posted by carnut on July 9, 2010 at 10:57 AM (PST)
3
Is that good or bad in comparison to other high-end smartphones?
Posted by Mike11 on July 9, 2010 at 12:07 PM (PST)
4
“basically anecdotal evidence”
Not even remotely close to anecdotal (methinks you need a dictionary).
You don’t have to control how the phone drops to show the bumper doesn’t provide significant protection. That you can break the front glass in three drops is quite enough proof of that.
You’re confused about what data can and can’t say. Had they come back and said the bumper offered great protection THAT would be your weak case as maybe the phone landed perfectly on an edge each time but as soon as it landed face down, CRACK. If you can break it at all in just a few drops, however, is quite adequate testing that case isn’t providing much protection.
Sure, you can suggest that maybe somehow the bumper normally provides truly awesome protection and you just had a series of three totally unrepresentative falls, but then we’d suspect you work for Apple
Posted by Code Monkey in Midstate New York on July 10, 2010 at 6:52 PM (PST)