Phone cases are among the most purchased electronic accessories, not only for the protection they provide to the expensive devices, but also for their style. While many opt to purchase a phone case from reputable manufacturers such as Otterbox, UAG, and Spigen, Apple offers its own option for iPhones. After using an Apple iPhone case daily for two years, there are evident quality issues.

The silicone case in question was first purchased in November 2020 for a then new iPhone 12 Pro from the Apple Store. For the first several months it showed no signs of wear, but at around the one year mark, the portion of the case adjacent to the mute switch began to break. Then the silicone on the bottom right corner of the case split, leaving this portion of the case more susceptible to further damage and tearing. This was followed by the strip of case parallel to the charging port snapping, and chunks of silicone randomly peeling off of all sides of the case. Now the phone case resembles moldy blue swiss cheese; not exactly the quality that is expected from genuine Apple products. For the price of $49.00 the case should be made to last a human lifetime, not the lifetime of a termite. 

Additionally, the silicone has changed texture from grippy rubber to a slippery and somewhat sticky consistency that feels slightly off-putting in the hand. This feeling, combined with the rigid bumps and dips from the broken case, make it very uncomfortable to hold and use.

The case does have some redeeming factors, such as the lasting vibrancy of the color, and despite widespread fears, it has protected the phone in the case of (pun intended) a very rare 1-2 ft drop. Additionally, the volume and power buttons are as tactile through the case as they are without, which is often a significant nuisance found in cases of other brands. Still, I would not recommend Apple’s iPhone cases, particularly their iPhone 12 series cases, to anyone who values a case that will remain as sharp as cheddar for an extended period of time.