At its core, a phone case has a very simple purpose: protect the phone against casual accidents, while not interfering with the normal usage of the phone. Unfortunately, the Incase Pro Slider Case for iPhone 4 (and 4s) fails this goal in several different an annoying ways.
The Incase Pro Slider is a simple affair – a case that slips over the edges and back of the iPhone, with a detachable bottom piece to make docking and charging the phone possible while the larger portion of the case is left on. However, this case fails its mission in three different, equally annoying ways.
First: the rubber edging of the case is very stiff. Initially this may seem like a good thing – a stiff case is more likely to protect in a fall, right? Wrong. The rubber edge covers both the volume buttons and the sleep/wake button at the top of the phone, and is so stiff that significant pressure is required to cause any response from the buttons. Even worse, the rubber is thick enough that it completely muffles any tactile response from the (normally very “clicky”) buttons, leaving the user uncertain if the button was even triggered at all. This is particularly annoying when attempting to lock the screen while putting the phone into a pocket – a visual double-check is usually required to be sure that the phone is actually locked, and not pocket-dialing 911 or a stabby ex.
Second: the bottom piece falls off at the barest whisper of pull or pressure. It will pop off when the phone is pulled from a pocket. It will detach when the phone is being held up to the users ear. It will fly off if the phone is even lightly bumped. This brings us to:
Third: the case is completely unable to protect the iPhone from even short drops, due to the bottom pieces habit of flying off. Even a drop of a couple inches onto a soft surface will send the bottom end of the case flipping across the room. Should you be unfortunate enough to drop your iPhone from waist or head-height while wearing the Incase Pro Slider case, your phone is even more likely to be damaged, since on initial impact the bottom will pop off, and on any subsequent bounces the rigid rubber edging noted above will keep your phone bouncing across the floor, while the suddenly-unprotected bottom portion is repeatedly slammed into whatever hard surfaces present themselves.
In short, if you value your iPhone and don’t wish to render its buttons unusable shortly before the phone itself is smashed to pieces, find an alternative to the Incase Pro Slider.
