Honestly the colors on Pro/Max models are heinous. On the other hand, even if you are good about not dropping your phone, a xxxx $ phone probably should go into a full-cover bumper anyway so it doesn't matter how ugly the phone is.
Just maybe the common wisdom of the HN zeitgeist that the only reason 50% of cell phone users in the US buy an iPhone because it is a “status symbol” is wrong?
If you don’t subscribe to that notion, then it makes perfect sense to protect something that you paid $1200 for for the utilitarian value despite it making it look worse.
Even a thin case will greatly reduce the maximum force a phone will experience when dropped. Metal edged phones are great for flare, but terrible for drop absorbtion.
A phone case increase M on the impacted object. It does not increase it on the phone.
A soft barrier between the phone and the ground increase the time between initial velocity and end velocity; reducing acceleration. Therefore, reducing the maximum force the phone receives.