There is a certain category of person who absolutely loves their phone and simply cannot stop dropping it, and most of us have had that problem at some point in the past. Some people sit on their phones, others, fumble them onto a hard counter, and a few even drop them off cliffs.
There are dozens if not hundreds of ways to damage your phone beyond practical use without repair or replacement. By the time this happens there’s nothing you can do to un-break it, but you can take preventative measures to protect the next phone in the long line of victims. Because phone breakages, especially by impact, are such a common problem, there are a fairly wide variety of ways to keep your phone safe and on you at all times while minimizing the possibility of it hitting a hard surface and shattering the screen.
1. Rubber Phone Case
The first and last line of defense for to keep your phone safe is a thick rubber case. Wrapped tightly around the shiny plastic shell, you want every corner and as much surface area as possible covered by this bouncy, impact-resistant coating. Often people will make the mistake of choosing a delicate, aesthetic phone cover because it looks nice. Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter how pretty or stylish your phone was if it’s broken. When it comes down to it, no matter how careful you are with placement and handling, someone could just run into you unexpectedly and the phone could go flying. Imagine your relief as you scramble after it to find the phone uncracked and still displaying your halfway-typed text message. While the thick rubber case won’t be able to protect it from all forms of damage, it’s a pretty good start.
2. Screen Protector
Over the area your rubber case does not cover, your screen protector can. There are two primary forms of screen protector: the sticky film and the tempered glass protector. The sticky film is by far the most common but is difficult to lay over the screen without forming irritating bubbles under the plastic. These films protect your screen from scratches and, if it is shattered, keeps the sharp screen pieces from escaping and cutting you. The glass protector, on the other hand, is thick, immovable, and can actively defend your screen from direct impacts. Both types have to be replaced on a fairly regular basis in order to keep your phone safe.
3. Satchel Bag
There are all too many things that can go wrong in a pants pocket. If you are constantly squashing your phone or having it jump out of a pocket without your permission, it may be time to invest in a satchel bag to keep your phone safe. Not just for hipsters and couriers, messenger and satchels provide an easy ‘docking area’ hooked closely to your body for your phone and everything else. These bags are often big enough for a laptop, notebooks, and personal items, making the switch to a satchel bag an incredibly practical one. Most importantly for your phone, any time you need to put it down, just slip in into the always-vertical and never-stat-upon compartment of the bag.
4. Bungee Cord
It sounds like a joke but isn’t. The concept behind the phone bungee is similar to that of the pocket watch, which was the smartphone of its time. When the device is too precious to risk letting it fall, put a tether on it. While a phone chain sounds pretty snazzy, your best bet is with a strong elastic tether like that of a bungee cord to keep the phone safely suspended from your belt, bag, or wrist. Some people go with retractable badge-tethers instead, but they need to be safely secured because phones are often too heavy to be supported by a badge clip. If your rubber case doesn’t have a strong tether point, special phone harnesses can be purchased to support the bungee securement.
5. Hip Holster Case
At some nebulous point on the cool-scale between handgun and fanny pack, the hip holster (sometimes called a drop leg bag) is a special bag that loops around your waist and can hold many items including your phone. This provides a small but valuable array of benefits, starting with the pocket adaptation. You’ll be used to reaching for your pocket for the first few weeks of your new phone-safety procedures, and the hip holster allows you to complete that motion while allowing you to keep your phone safe. The padded design and convenient location keep you from sitting on it and prevent it from taking damage from anything you might bump into. Finally, it is a great secure point for your phone bungee, just in case you do drop it before it gets back into the holster.
Remember, by the sheer power of statistics, people who love their phones and use them all the time are at a much higher risk of dropping and breaking the phone. In fact, as you continue to use it, the chances of you doing something extraordinary like catch it on fire or have it eaten by a large reptile also rise… just less so. In order to avoid the hassle of repairs and replacement, try using one or more of these helpful phone-safety suggestions to prevent the next unfortunate tumble. By diligently following a few practical protection methods, you can extend the time your phone is undamaged from weeks to months and from months to years.