Coming in six different colors — one for each of the shades of the iPhone 5c, plus black — Odoyo’s Candy Combo ($25) was one of the earliest iPhone 5c cases to arrive at our offices. It’s actually a unique design, and not just a remolded version of a case we’ve seen in the past, as many have been so far. The two-piece, two-tone design combines a plastic back shell with a rubber insert that adds button protection and port openings. It results in a somewhat bulky case that has characteristics normally only seen on battery cases.
The first step to installing Candy Combo is wrapping the rubber bumper around the iPhone.
It matches the handset’s curves, and fits securely enough that it doesn’t fall off, although it’s not snug enough to serve as a standalone bumper. The next step is to fit the handset into the plastic shell, which is flat, making it look more like a case for an iPhone 5/5s. Odoyo added a brushed texture to the back, which is a nice touch.
The three plastic buttons along the top and edges of the iPhone are covered, and while the Home Button is slightly dampened, they all work without issue. Depending on the size of your fingers and the length of your nails, you may have a somewhat difficult time accessing the switch on the side.
The headphone and Lightning ports are similarly recessed, meaning that unless plugs are narrow and long, they might not fit. It’s this way because Odoyo chose to port the speaker and microphone towards the front with the molded rubber. While the audio isn’t any louder or better, we could tell that it was coming more directly towards us, and we were surprised to hear a caller tell us that voice quality increased, becoming clearer and more intelligible.
Due mainly to its size, Candy Combo wouldn’t be our first choice for the iPhone 5c. But it’s a good case, noteworthy for both its unique design, and the fact that it actually enhances the audio quality.
