Why Apple’s iPhone 4 bumper case is a rip-off

Much has been made of the iPhone 4's antenna woes and whether or not a bare-handed grip will send you spiraling into no-signal limbo. Even if you are not the type to normally consider a case for your new iPhone, reading those reports might give you second thoughts.

While the third party market is quickly stepping up to provide options, the obvious first choice is the Apple Bumper case. Minimal and Apple-engineered, what could go wrong?

Not terrible

The Bumper is made of two kinds of plastic. The middle is a band of hard shiny plastic, with a surrounding band made out of a slightly more elastic plastic in a matte finish. It has recessed areas for the headphone jack, the mute switch, the USB port, and the mic and speakers. Metal buttons that push an internal piece of plastic into the real phone buttons are provided for the volume and sleep buttons.

The action on the button overlays feels fine, but the recess for the mute switch is fairly deep, requiring you to really reach in with a fingernail to throw the switch.

The plastic provides a decent amount of grip without creating that "grip-your-pants-pocket" feeling you can get from more rubbery cases, but it feels somewhat cheap in your hand. The way it fits around the phone creates a raised edge, which keeps the glass from touching flat surfaces, but the ridge is mildly uncomfortable to hold. It's certainly not painful, but the flat back of the phone really draws attention to the edge transition.

To put the case on, you simply snap your iPhone into it. Unfortunately, while the fit isn't loose, it is not exactly snug. It won't flop around with normal handling, but you can easily pull the Bumper away from the sides of the phone, as there's no elastic hold to it.

This gets the job done and manages not to be terrible. It feels a little cheap in your hand and doesn't snap as closely as you might like, but there's nothing inherently wrong with it—that is, until you see the price.

Apple sells the Bumpers in six colors for a wince-inducing $29 each. For this kind of quality and utility you should get all six colors for the price. Even for those used to paying the "Apple tax," this feels like a rip-off.

If Apple ever decided to sell the Bumpers in a pack like it used to do with the old iPod socks, it wouldn't be a bad way to switch up your phone colors on a whim. Until then, buyer beware: you need to really want one in order to feel satisfied with the purchase.