I waited anxiously for Otterbox to release this case and ordered mine within minutes of receiving the "Defender Released" e-mail. I received the case on Friday and I must admit, it did not disappoint.
First impressions: The case is of great quality and a lot of detail went into making it compatible with all the OEM "accessories". The holster is among the best I've seen for a phone of this size and works perfectly with the case.
After carrying it for two days (and this is already my 3rd iPhone 4 case - I am rough on my phones): The case is without a doubt the most durable I've seen for the iPhone 4 and lives up to the reputation that Otterbox has built over the years.
Cons: The case does add considerable bulk to the phone and may not be perfect for pocket carriers. It does include a holster which works great and can rotate for vertical or parallel carrying of the phone.
Miscellaneous: I have no complaints really, but I am left to wonder if the silicone "flaps" that cover the earphone and USB plug-ins could have been a little more user-friendly. Sometimes they are frustrating to get back into their proper "closed" position.
Edited one month after using: I am still extremely happy with the case. I have dropped my phones a few times already and though the case is starting to show signs the abuse I have provided it the phone still looks pristine! I opened up the case this morning to clean the phone etc and to my surprise there wasn't much to clean. With cases I've owned in the past I would have a forest of lint, dust etc. that would trap itself between the case and the phone. The Otterbox has minimized that debris!
I am uploading several photos showing the difference between a "bare" iPhone 4 and an iPhone 4 in the Defender case so everyone can get an idea of how much "protection" and in turn "bulk" this case adds to the phone.
Edited to add: Amazon removed my pictures when the placed the phone back in a "pre-order" status, I will re-upload them again once they allow. I'm not sure why they state "pre-order" when it should state "Back-ordered, will deliver in xx to xx weeks", but I digress. OtterBox Defender Case iPhone 4 (Blue/Black, Fits AT&T iPhone 4)
Otterbox defender for my iPhone 3Gs was the best thing I ever did for that phone! It fell into and was completely submerged in a 5 gallon pot of BBQ sauce - and rinsed off with the sprayer in the sink. Phone continued to operate flawlessly!
As soon as I bought iPhone 4 - I immediately ordered an otterbox case for it. It took over a month to arrive and when it finally did - I could immediately tell it did not offer the same amount of protection as the Otterbox for the 3Gs.
I'm constantly fighting the rubber covering -- if I pull it out of my pocket I have to push it back into place all the way around the phone.
The screen protector is better -- the bubbles are gone from the previous version. I like that.
The flaps that cover the charger port and headphone jack suck! They never stay in place and to get them to lock down is a pain. Debris can easily infiltrate into the case through these openings. I find that I have to take the phone completely out of the case and clean the phone and the case more often than I ever did with the other phone/otterbox.
Maybe they were just in a hurry to get a case that would fit the quick arrival of iPhone4. I hope the case is revamped and the thought is completed. I really need and want the kind of protection and rugged durability that the other case provided for 3Gs.
Regardless of what I hate about this case, it's still the BEST case that you can put on the new iPhone 4 if you're hard on your phone. Just wish it was better...
**** 02/12 update: I bought an AT&T case to get one fast at a discount and it works fine until the price drops on the universal case. The Verizon silent mode button is partially covered so if you use silent mode a lot and have big fingers, you might want to wait or buy from the manufacturer. The headphone jack doesn't align quite right with my Verizon phone, but just open the silicone port. And now this is a genuine five star review. I really like this case. It is sturdy and protective, looks stylish, feels comfortably grippy and it was easy to install the phone. Box directions are minimal but Otterbox has a simple video that takes you through it. *****
I just called Otterbox and a very nice lady in Customer Service says they have a universal design ready to fit both AT&T and Verizon phones, to be released 02/10/11. I suppose Amazon will have these as well. Hope they do all the same colors.
Important to know because the Verizon iPhone has some ports and controls in a slightly different place than its AT&T sister and this case would not fit both phones.
Just thought you should know. Glad I did some research before I bought this one. Yes, I know this isn't a real review but not everyone reads comments. At least I'm not one of those tiresome people who posts a one star review because something went wrong with the shipping. - Iphone 4 - Iphone4 Case - Defender - Iphone 4 Case'
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