The Top 5 Phone Case Questions Answered

Life in the 21st century is a high tech adventure, and there appears to be no end to the new innovations that excite us. Mobile phone technology is ever expanding, while the devices themselves are becoming smaller, more adaptable and able to tackle an increasingly growing list of heavy duty demands.

Our lives revolve around these powerful devices, and the majority of us don’t even know our family and friends’ phone numbers – they’re stored in our mobiles. Emails, too, are accessible via phones, and as for work, ditto. Everything nice and safe – but is it? One fall and we could lose it thanks to a smashed case – all that information, lost. Personal messages, photos, everything gone in an instant. However, if we plan ahead, any data can survive even the worst fall.

A protective phone case is a really sensible acquisition to accompany your mobile, ensuring that it remains damage-free if dropped, or keeping any scratches away. But as you can see from our cases, for both phones and tablets, there’s numerous models to chose from, and there are almost certainly questions you have relating to your choice – What type is better? Will a case cause my phone to overheat? and so on.

We answer the most frequently asked questions, allowing you to make your selection with confidence.

What should I look for when buying a phone case?

In order to pick the best phone case for your needs, initially forget the color, style and additional extras – let’s focus on the protection offered.

The most commonly occurring damage is to the screen, from a dramatic cobweb of cracks if the impact is on a corner, to an across-screen stress crack, often caused by the phone being sat on in a pocket. For an impact-absorbing material, look at cases made from rubber or silicone, and avoid hard plastic cases which often transmit the impact waves onto the phone itself. Ensure that the edges and corners of the screen are fully covered for maximum protection.

It goes without saying that a thicker, more padded case increases the level of protection, but make it harder and heavier to slip into a pocket. If you can be sure that your phone will only be subjected to minor scrapes and scratches, a slimline case can work well.

Next consider whether you need a waterproof case. Water damage is less common than impact issues, but can happen if you find yourself around water a lot, either for work or leisure. Phones can often slip out of pockets if you’re filling up animal water bowls, you may drop it if you’re filming along a riverbank and while relaxing on vacation, your phone may come for a swim.

Some cases double as a mobile charger, ideal if you tend to neglect checking the battery levels, screen protectors are often included and many have extra pockets for credit cards and the like.

Considering your case should protect your precious phone, it pays to think about these things first.

Which is better- hard or soft phone case?

Hard cases tend to be constructed from ABS/PC plastic, which allows a small degree of flexibility and impact resistance. Often offering a slimmer case, and bright glossy colors, a textured back is a good option as it provides a level of grip that otherwise doesn’t exist. It also hides the appearance of scratches, maintaining your phone’s good looks.

A softer case is often bulkier, but gives a more secure grip, and far greater impact protection, spreading the shockwaves throughout the soft shell of the case rather than through the phone.

If you can be fairly sure that your phone will only experience the lightest knocks and scratches, a hard case will surffice, but for more protection, look to a soft case.

Do phone cases really protect phones?

According to Allied Market Research, by 2023, spending on mobile phone accessories is set to hit nearly 10 billion dollars, and a big percentage of that is on cases. Research suggests that screen protectors offer a light level of damage resistance, but for all round peace of mind, a case that covers corners, edges and backs offers the best level of protection.

Can a case damage a phone?

Whilst there are universal cases, most brands and models have their own dedicated cases, and there’s a good reason for this. A tight, accurate fit prevents any dirt or grit working its way between the case and the phone. If this were to happen, the phone would suffer scratches, with dust possibly even getting into the body of the phone, resulting in a risk of overheating and other major internal issues.

Therefore it pays to choose the appropriate case for your model of phone.

Do cases cause phones to overheat?

Phones are designed to remain cool, with vents allowing excessive heat to escape. If those vents are blocked, overheating will result. An ill-fitting case that isn’t designed for your particular model, may prevent the heat from the phone being released, so it’s important to pick an appropriate make and model’s case.

By answering the most commonly asked questions, you can relax and choose your new phone or tablet case, feeling happy that you know what to look for.