Smartphone manufacturers have increasingly enhanced durability claims, but Apple has taken a bold step by suggesting that users can operate the iPhone 16 without a case, a first in the industry. Their latest advertisement highlights the phone’s Ceramic Shield, assuring that it can survive drops without issues. This move comes as competitors like Chinese Android smartphone makers improve their devices’ dust and water resistance, and Corning promotes its Gorilla Armor 2 for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, which can withstand drops from up to 7.2 feet. This raises the ongoing debate: do you prefer using your phone with or without a case?
In recent years, smartphone manufacturers have significantly increased their claims regarding durability, but until now, none have explicitly stated that it’s acceptable to use their devices without protective cases. Whether this reluctance stems from a lack of faith in their phones’ ability to withstand accidental drops or from a desire to protect their profitable first-party case sales is something we may never discern.
However, Apple has made a bold move today by effectively encouraging users to use the iPhone 16 without a case. This is the core message of the company’s latest advertisement, which you can watch below.
As expected, the ad heavily promotes the Ceramic Shield—Apple’s beloved trademark. Nonetheless, this marks an intriguing shift in the industry. The advertisement is quite straightforward, conveying that there’s no need to worry since your iPhone 16 can endure a drop like the one illustrated in the video without any problems.
With Chinese Android manufacturers recently improving the dust and water resistance of their models, along with Corning announcing that its Gorilla Armor 2—used in the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra—can withstand drops on “concrete-like surfaces” from heights of up to 2.2 meters or 7.2 feet, it certainly feels like a new era is upon us.
This raises the classic debate—do you prefer using your phone with a case or ‘naked’? Share your thoughts in the comments.