I've got an iPhone Xs Max (how old? no clue) Despite the camera bump if I have it on a flat surface playing audio it will scoot off and take a dive. (I ended up putting a case on it for that reason alone)
Not in my case. I never ever used a case since iPhone 4. Then I dropped my slippery XS Max two months in, cracked the back glass, and “repair” cost like 70% of a new phone. So it’s been living in the silicone case since, it’s no longer slippery and I don’t see the crack.
I guess the XS Max would be well outside of AppleCare+ territory, but for those of us who upgrade every 2-3 years, AppleCare+ is great.
It's literally insurance for your phone except you don't have to deal with the insurer.
I've only used the Express Replacement Service part of it twice, but when I've used it, it's been like magic. I get a brand new (refurb probably, but who can tell) phone within 2 days, and then I send back the old one.
No questions asked, no weeks of wrangling with the insurer.
Yeah, now I get AppleCare+ (or whatever tier that covers accidental damage as well) on everything since the 50%-70% “repair” (i.e. replacement) cost on the slightest damage is insane. It seems you can now pay to extend the coverage indefinitely after the standard period, according to an Apple Store employee when I got a new iPad Pro recently.
Starting with the iPhone 6, iPhones became slippery due to the rounded sides. This stopped with the iPhone 12, with the return to flat sides. Except for a short stint with the iPhone 6, I skipped the whole rounded-sides era, and never used a case.
I've never dropped my phone. But my wife has dropped hers many times.
After the 2nd screen repair the phone has never worked properly, and the face ID stuff stopped working. All in all repairers couldn't do anything about it. That's why I think it's worth putting a cover on it.
I also hide my ID in mine (between cover and phone) so that I do not have to wear a wallet...
And my kids occasionally handle my phone, I don't want to hold my breath every time I see them walking with my phone in hand.
Not sure who you went to, but the mall repair guys do a terrible job of telling you that the repairs never leave your phone the same.
Truetone for example, 100% of the time will start working, that one is for sure on top of the random things that’ll break, sometimes the phone also gets way heavier.
I learned that lesson the hard way which sucks - my iPhone 12’s internet speed was great, but after I had to upgrade it because of the screen, the 13s was shit and Apple never did anything about it - story for another time I guess.
How is this a reason "After the 2nd screen repair the phone has never worked properly, and the face ID stuff stopped working. All in all repairers couldn't do anything about it" for putting a cover on it.. its already broken. It won't get anymore better. Or, you feel ashamed and cover it with the cover so no one can see?
Ah OK that makes sense, we have a similar requirement in the UK.
A difference would be if you don't have your licence, insurance, etc. on you at the time you were stopped you can be issued with a "producer" document which requires you to produce your documents at a local police station within seven days.
Put a case on it with a lip around the edge. The JETech TPU clear ones are good. I dropped my 13 Pro down a mountain in central asia and it went ping pong ping pong like Homer Simpson falling off a cliff for about 20 seconds. There wasn't a scratch on it! I've dropped it face down a hundred times at least. Still looks like the day I bought it!
Also take it to Apple to get repaired, not some independent repairer that sticks crap parts on it. If that's too expensive buy AppleCare! At least you'll get a phone back that actually works.
I much prefer not having a case, but screens crack from the most peculiar falls. Literal edge cases I guess. I just can't be bothered replacing any more screens.