Review: OtterBox Defender Series for iPhone 3G
If you don’t know OtterBox, you should. They make high-quality, high-grade cases for the iPhone 3G that offer first-class protection. The OtterBox Defender Series for iPhone 3G ($49.95) is one of the most comprehensive cases ever designed for the iPhone 3G.
We had already taken a look at the OtterBox Defender Series for the Original iPhone, how does the updated version for the iPhone 3G hold up? Does it offer great protection? Is it just another case?
Read on for the rest of the review!
Design
The OtterBox comes in 4 different parts—each serving a purpose to cradle and protect the iPhone 3G. The base layer is a hard plastic shell (front and back). The second layer is a thick yet still soft layer of silicone that wraps around the aforementioned hard plastic shell. And finally, the last piece is a plastic cradle that adds another layer of protection but also doubles as a belt clip.
A thin sheet of plastic protects the screen, camera port, and Apple Logo while the headphone port, volume buttons, and sleep/wake ringer switch are protected via rubber caps. A thin cloth also covers the speakers.
Overall, the design of the OtterBox is carefully thought out and provides a perfect fit for every little nook, switch, and button on the iPhone 3G. Using a hard shell base layer with a silicone skin offers great protection while providing for even greater textile feel.
Usability
Obviously, the OtterBox Defender Series serves to a specific niche and those who have no need for such a rugged case would assume the case is in excess. But judging it from a pure protective stance—there are few options better. I have full confidence that the OtterBox case will protect my iPhone 3G in almost any likely scenario—a fall down the stairs, skidding across a hiking trail, and even a drop on concrete.
But because of its intricate design, care and exactness is needed when applying the case. The OtterBox is not an ordinary case that can be easily slipped off and on, you’ll have to fix the silicone to wrap around the intricacies of the plastic shell. Furthermore, the plastic shell seems to have a lot of clips and snaps that need to be put together. It’s a process to be sure, but after you’re done, this is protection at its finest.
Even more amazing is how the OtterBox maintains the iPhone 3G’s sensitivity and allows access to all its ports, buttons, and features. The touchscreen maintains the same sensitivity, I had absolutely no problem playing games and surfing the web with the OtterBox applied.
The buttons can be easily pressed except for the Home button. For some reason OtterBox decided to make a Home Button that cuts off the top of the circle. The plastic cover for the touchscreen can also get problematic if you leave some air space between it and the iPhone’s screen. Unsightly air bubbles would appear but I found this to be hit or miss and not particularly damaging.
The included belt clip is made from the same tough plastic as the hard shell and it locks the iPhone into it quite well. In fact, I often times had trouble pulling the iPhone out of the clip—the fit was that secure. The belt clip is able to rotate 360 degrees and the iPhone can be placed either be open faced or face backwards.
OtterBox has certainly improved on the deficiencies in the original iPhone, namely two issues that I had problems with are now fixed. The ringer switch is now accessible and the home button can be pressed when inserted into the belt clip. Bravo to OtterBox for listening to my complaints!
In all, the OtterBox offers as close to complete protection and coverage of every part of the iPhone. If you’re looking for superb protection or live an outdoor lifestyle, this case is truly one of the best available.
Final Thoughts
I’m a huge fan of OtterBox products because they put care into their design and they execute extremely well. The silicone seems to be of higher grade than basic silicone cases—offering better texture, thicker protection, and doesn’t seem to stretch as much. I definitely feel like OtterBox succeeded in creating a case that can offer maximum protection without sacrificing usability.
The one downfall is obviously price. At $49.95 it is a fairly steep cost to pay for an iPhone case. But compared with other cases priced near the Defender, the Defender offers an infinite amount more protection. Though it does add considerable amount of thickness, if you’re looking for a case that protects your iPhone from the elements—thickness should be expected.
Also, it cannot be fully submerged under water, a definite shortcoming considering its target market. However, with all things considered, the Otterbox Defender for iPhone 3G is great implementation of protection without compromise. All of the iPhone’s features are present with an unparalleled level of protection. I would consider this a buy for anyone who’s lifestyle is rugged, planning an outdoor trip, or is looking for the ultimate protection for their iPhone.
PROS
- Superb Protection
- Soft Silicone Feel
- Everything Protected, Every Feature Still Usable
CONS
- Bulky
- Pricey
FINAL RATING:
January 5th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
one of the ugliest cases i have ever seen.
January 5th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
I bought one of these back in July when the new iPhone3G first came out and have put it through the paces. VERY well made. Don’t care if it’s pretty or not – just need it to protect the phone from dust, dirt and being dropped! It’s done that very well. Highly recommend it!
January 5th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Indeed that is an ugly case. But I have to have one. Will you be giving any away! Never mind – I’m going to buy one. They come in other colors too – if you don’t like the greenish black, they’ve got that with a yellow trim, and a pink (!) one too.
January 5th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
That just might be the ugliest case I’ve seen. I could see a need for a case that rugged if you’re a stunt man with a busy social life, but who else?
January 5th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
I have the otterbox and everyone says something about. Either awesome or ugly. Just hit word of a slimmer model. Can u check it out for us. I think it is is only thirty dollars but just re silicone. I’ve read blogs of iPhone’s not working because of dust. The otterbox collects so much you have to clean it out regularly. Happy camper
January 5th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
I don;t like this case
January 6th, 2009 at 11:06 am
If you’re looking for a case to protect the iPhone from “close to catastrophic” incidents (sans H20), or you are an outdoor enthusiast and exposing your phone to hard knocks – this is the case for you. However, the extra layers of protection tend to impede the use of the buttons. The on/off switch is very difficult to use and the volume buttons take a considerable amount of pressure to allow them to function. I have average size hands, but the ringer switch is difficult to access effectively. I have not operated the phone with gloves, but I would imagine it would be difficult to operate other than the home button. The touch screen works as advertised. Having said this, it’s the price you pay for complete protection. My main complaint, as the review points out, is getting the iPhone out of the clip. I’ve found that the clip is very secure, and it requires two hands with considerable force to pry the iPhone out if you do not have the phone clipped to your belt or pocket. You can swivel the iPhone around 180 degrees, with the screen facing outward, but the clip is far less secure and is prone to being knocked out of the clip. In addition, the silicone sleeve has a tendency to get snagged on the clip if you’re not careful seating the phone back into the clip.
January 12th, 2009 at 11:03 am
Comments like not pretty make me laugh .. I mean come on .. not pretty is a smushed iPhone. I read through some of the posts and I have to say this case is the best I have had. You do not lose function or features but there is a bit more bulk to it than other cases on the market. The otterbox defender case actually protects.
I purchased mine at http://www.drypodsonline.com they had them in stock and were pretty quick to get it to me … Now the case seems available in many stores as well. Just shut up and buy the case its worth the investment.
January 13th, 2009 at 11:41 am
An iPhone with a broken screen is not pretty or functional, I’m more interested in preserving its usability that having to look cool and sleek.
I think it comes down to knowing yourself too, I have dropped phones over the years. I would be naive to think that simply owning an iPhone would stop me from doing it again — I’d like protection from when it does happen.
Each to his/her own.
January 24th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
i love mine boo to all you haters
February 2nd, 2009 at 4:52 pm
This case is the best, After dropping $250 for a screen repair due to an unavoidable incident, I picked it up. If your a first responder, look no further..for all the “pretty men”, this isnt the case for you i guess.
February 16th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
i just got my otter box and i love! help keeps my phone clean and protects from the grinding dust since im a welder
February 25th, 2009 at 6:40 am
This is a bad *** looking case.
March 6th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
I have the black and yellow and the white. This case is the best period. I had one for the BB Curve and had to get one for my 3g iphone. My house is all tile floors and stairs. Not wanting to break the expensive phone the Otter Box Defender has worked great. I have dropped it and it should have broken the glass. But did not. I have been to my local AT&T stoor and Best Buy. Sales clerks have asked me many times how did I get that case and it looks great. Yes the plastic film can get the oil look when the air gets to it. But you just wipe the plastic clean and the glass on the iphone clean. Wipe your palm across the iphone screen and put it all together. works great.
The buttons are easy on the two cases I have for the iphone. I also like that the headset port is covered with a rubber flap and the docking port is as well. So Apple won’t be getting a call from you when the white tabs get wet and your screwed out of warranty. it does protect against someone spilling liquid on it if your quick. The price is high. But seriously if a crappy plastic case that does not protect the screen runs $30.00 bucks at best buy or AT&T why not add a bit more and protect it all the way around?
This is the best case for the iphone 3g hands down…
March 13th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
would highly recommend the case, however I just had to replace my second belt clip. After sharing my concern that OtterBox should spend as much time to design the belt clip, which easily breaks, as they do the protective case, I was told that they are redesigning the belt clip. So in 3 months when this replacement breaks I will be buying a better replacement.
March 18th, 2009 at 6:03 am
Did alot of research on this case and I’ll be the first to say that this case looks bad ***.. Just bought it off of eBay for 32 bucks.. I’m a big guy and if you have big hands like me, bulk is good. The onley bad thing that I’ve heard about it is that it may collect a little Moisture between the protective case screen and the iPhone screen. I like that all of the buttons and connections are all covered and protected from dust. When I saw the yellow and black one I just had to have it…I’ll be getting it in the mail INS few days.
March 18th, 2009 at 6:04 am
Did alot of research on this case and I’ll be the first to say that this case looks bad ***.. Just bought it off of eBay for 32 bucks.. I’m a big guy and if you have big hands like me, bulk is good. The onley bad thing that I’ve heard about it is that it may collect a little Moisture between the protective case screen and the iPhone screen. I like that all of the buttons and connections are all covered and protected from dust. When I saw the yellow and black one I just had to have it…I’ll be getting mine in the mail in a few days.
March 30th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
As the previous poster commented, this case does leave the “oil slick” on the screen….. the problem is easily solved by getting a power support brand anit-glare screen protector. Did the trick for me…. best case out there in my opinion, wouldnt take the phone anywhere without it.
April 5th, 2009 at 10:58 am
That is an ugly case, no matter how protective it may be. I like the Switcheasy Capsule Neo much more, check out my review of it: http://iphone3gmania.blogspot.com/2009/04/case-review-switcheasy-capsule-neo.html
April 7th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
I think the case looks very cool. Got it in white with tons of complements so far to all you haters! It feels pretty awesome in hand. I’ve dropped the phone a few times with no problems. I did remove the plastic screen protect that it came with due to “oil slick” and use my own screen protector. I just wanted it for the protection of the phone not the screen. It comes off no problem and I find it works much better this way.
April 20th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
I just got my Black/yellow case its awesome. I had one for my BBpearl before and loved it. I run a Skidsteer business and i drop my phones on cement, mud, water, drive them over with machines and i have never broke one with an otterbox on. If you get the water marks on the screen easiest solution is get PowerSupport anti-glare screen protectors from the apple store. There are a couple other solutions one is baby powder the phone, its on youtube. Overall this case is unstoppable, i even play shiny with it. Pucks cant even break it
April 28th, 2009 at 8:18 am
Wow, everyone says it is ugly? How about that nice crack in the back of the iphone that happened when you where geocaching at three am and dropped the iphone? Otterbox doesn’t look so ugly now does it? I have otterbox, Otterbox is BEST! I have been in cellular sales seven years, Otterbox cannot be rivaled with. Looks concern you? Buy a puppy!
May 3rd, 2009 at 9:02 pm
I bought the Otterbox Defender for iPhone 3G a few days ago. It’s great, except for one item they need to list on their website. ONLY the original Apple charger / docking head assembly will fit thru the opening in the bottom of the case. Everything else (well, at least the 4 other brands I have) will not get past the hard plastic shell. They are aware of this limitation, as I was told when I complained. So if you already have $ invested in other charger cables, dock extenders, car charging cables, etc, you might want to rethink this one. Otherwise, you’ll be stripping it out of its entire case just to charge / sync. My previous two full coverage cases worked fine – the area around the connection port was clear enough for all my adapters.
May 13th, 2009 at 7:11 am
I purchased this case from ebay and I have to say I love it…with one exception, The belt clip. First, it is somewhat difficult to remove the phone from the clip and generally requires both hands. It also seems to strech the silicon cover. Second, my clip part broke from a seemingly light bump and snag while walking through a gate. Replacements are available for $15 so the purchase of a replacement clip will make my total cost just a bit more than if I had purchased from OtterBox directly. Also, since the screen cover is connected to the side of the case, it seems I have to press a bit harder to make contact with some of the letters around the edges when typing on the keyboards. As someone else pointed out, I am a bigger guy and this case adds just the right amount of bulk to the phone and makes it a bit more “masculine”.
June 19th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
I just purchased the Otterbox Defender for my Iphone 3gS and I love it! I wasn’t looking for Pretty when I bought it I was looking for something that would protect my Iphone if I ever dropped it. So far no complaints.. lol.. I just hope the silcon holds up for a year or more.. Anyone had theirs for over a year? Hows it held up?
June 21st, 2009 at 8:38 pm
the IPhone g3 Otterbox case has been an over promise and under deliver. Two layers of protect will definitely be needed because you will drop your phone repeatedly because the clip case does not hold the phone very well at all. After a few months the plastic will become loose around the phone. Having it attached to your belt you will need to turn it on its side or it will be hard to sit or move unless you are in a standing position. Since the case is soft and protective when you do drop it you will not hear it and possibly no realize it is gone. And the most annoying of all is the screen cannot does not fit against the face and it tends to have a bubble in-between the protection and phone. Remember the outer layer is soft so if you ever do drop the phone you will not be able to hear it fall until you reach for use. In recap I wanted the best protection and all accounts it seems to be as good as other major products but it is in my opinion way over priced for the hype they give it. Should be about 29.99 comparative to the others.
June 21st, 2009 at 11:12 pm
This is a great case, I have purchased several cases and sending them all back because of this. I am buying another for my wife’s phone. Great engineering. Yup the baby powder trick works as published.
June 27th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
After a recently dropping and breaking the case of my 3 month old 3G, this very rugged case is a very welcome addition to my replacement 3G. Thge case is rather nice looking and comfortable to hold. The un-protected 3G is way to slippery of which led to my 1st phones downfall, literally.
June 28th, 2009 at 1:27 am
I wanted near 360 coverage with a solid grip, so after much research I got the Otterbox from Amazon for my iPhone 3GS. However, TWO annoyances so far…1) Hard to get at the silent switch and 2)the oil slick on the plastic screen. I am reading that the the Anti-Glare screen by Power Support may remedy the “oil slick” but I have a question for Cory (#18) and Matt (#21)- I assume you simply applied the Anit-Glare directly onto the iphone screen and did nothing else to the Otter screen protector? and a question for Darrell (#20) – I am strongly considering ripping out the screen and applying an anti-glare or mirror screen protector on iphone – did you have to do anything special to remove the Otter screen protector w/o causing any damage? Thanks in advance for your replies.
June 29th, 2009 at 8:05 am
Sorry, but in my opinion this case is a little bit ugly. I prefer carbon fibre as material for a protection as it combines a strong protection with a beautiful. Check it out here: http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/gorilla-carbon-fibre-iphone-case/
July 3rd, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Just installed two cases on my wife and my 3G S’s.
Had a terrible ECHO problem; people on the other end heard their voice echo in their ear non-iPhone telephone. Solution was to remove the little foam/mesh disks from the two mic/spkr ports at the bottom of the Otterbox shell and from the earpiece port on top. Cleared up nicely. No Dremel tool surgery required like I feared.
On ugly – carry one of these delicate glass-fronted $400 gizmos around for two weeks afraid of having to replace it and then put it inside one of these flak jackets. You’ll breathe easier. It’s still thinner than the flip phone I used to carry and the silicone skin anchors it in my pocket a bit without making it hard to get out. Every button and screen function works fine and the charge/sync plug connects same as it did pre-case. The only thing a little hard to get to is the ring/silent switch, but still accessible. I’ll gladly pay that little price. And hey – I like the slightly MilSpec look of it too; especially my black/yellow version.
Cory at accessorydepot.net impressed me with his responsiveness; even called me back when I left a phone message about my order. He get ~$36 with free 1st class mail shipping, but next spring for the $6 gor priority mail for the extra piece of mind.
July 5th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
I purchased the otterbox case for 2 ipod touches and now for the 3g S iphone and it has always been a jewel. Last night I was in my truck and my phone fell on the side of my seat and pressed against the seat rail… Needless to say i have a deep sharp impression on my clear shield from a poke from the rail and had it not been for the otterbox case that poke would have been on my touchscreen and probably cracked it. The otterbox is the best option for protection. The only drawback i am having is my apple a/v cable doesnt fit with the case on which i reported to them this morning and I am waiting on a response.
July 8th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
I emailed Otter through their website contact page on July 5th as well and no reply yet (July 8th). I had inquired about the status of the ‘revised’ belt clip Jim had mentioned(see #15 Comment above).
July 12th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
I bought this case for a reduced price of of Amazon.com. When I got it I ripped a part of the silicon cover and contacted OtterBox to complain. They send me a newer updated defender case in a few days at no charge. The case is ugly ? Not to me, people ask me all the time what that is I am using and when I tell them it is an iPhone in an OtterBox case they are intrigued often complimenting the design. The case is the ONLY out there that if you drop your phone from as much as 20 feet onto concrete it has a high probability it will live. I like the feel of the soft silicon and shell construction – it affords for a comfortable grip. Oneword of advice is to get an anti glare screen protector to do away totally with the ‘watermark’ effect on the screen. When I went from my beloved 1G to the new amazing 3Gs I wanted a case that could handle any asituation. The OtterBox Defender is the ONLY case in my humblre opinion that can. Peace.
August 12th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
I am delighted with this case. It makes the iPhone feel a little heftier in my pocket, but it’s great knowing that if I drop the phone, it has such wonderful protection. It was easy to assemble the phone, and all the needed parts (volume switch, headphone jack, sleep/wake button, and home button) are accessible. The only thing that I wish was different is that the hole for the charger is not big enough for third party chargers, such as the cheap retractable chargers that are easily found on Amazon and elsewhere. If you decide to customize the charger hole, as I did, be careful that you don’t scratch the Otterbox protective screen with your file. I do not view the occasional air bubbles between the iPhone screen and the Otterbox screen mentioned by others as much of a problem. However, if I ever do have the problem, I’ll probably try the baby powder fix some reviewers suggested. The Otterbox case is stylish and constructed with quality. I especially like the cut-out on the back that reveals the Apple logo. (The cutout does have a clear cover over it.) By the way, if you ever have to consult Otterbox Customer Service (for example if you scratch your screen with a file), they are top-notch.
August 13th, 2009 at 9:26 am
This is a great case. Very durable. Do a you tube search and you can find a guy that threw his out of a 2nd story window and when he retrived it the Iphone was in perfect condition. It really is up for anything.
Three things to be aware of, however. 1) the dreaded oil slick. At first, this didn’t bother me greatly but as time wore on I became more and more annoyed. I discovered that if you put an anti-glare screen protector (pack of 2 available at Apple Stores for $15) then the problem is solved. No more oilslick and no more “rubbing the face of the phone on a greasy hand or face” (as recommended on the otterbox website.) Perfect. My $50 case is now $65.
2) you cannot dock this phone while in the case. Solution – buy a dock extender. The only company I have located to date that sells this is Sendstation — SendStation Dock Extender. They are charging $30 for the extension. Amazon.com sells this product on behalf of an outside seller. Be prepared to modify it, however. As is, the extender does not fit into the slot at the bottom of the case. If you have access to a Dremel or similar tool, the sides of the extended can be ground down so that it will fit. Took all of 5 minutes for me to do this and I have no skills with power tools. Thankfully, the underlying plastic is black as well, so you can’t really tell that you modified it unless you look closely at the fact that the modified area is not as glossy as the rest of the part.
3) the covering over the speakers and earpiece will mute sound so much that you will not hear the phone ring unless you are in a quiet environment and you will constantly ask callers to repeat themselves. The only solution I have found for this is to poke a very small hole in the coverings. Obviously, the case is no longer as dust proof or semi-water proof, but at least I can hear the phone ring – which after all is important as my Iphone is first and foremost a phone. Prior to punching the holes I had the ringer volume and settings all set to max levels. Now, they are reasonable at mid way and I can hear the ipod functions and ringers in less than silent enviroments.
So – in sum, my $50 case now cost $105, but it is still WAY cheaper than buying a new phone if (or should I say when) I drop my phone. Worth the cost and the fixes in the long run.
September 12th, 2009 at 8:10 am
Great case!! I have had it for a week and the phone is very sturdy. The phone fell off the clip because my shirt was stuck inbetween the clip and case but when it fell it happen to fall in the middle of a busy street and I didnt relize it till just intime to turn around and see it getting run over by a 1/2 ton chevy truck I went and picked it up expecting the worse but the case had saved the phone and is still fully functional plus the case is still perfectly fine besides some dents in the plastic where it was pushed it to the pavement
September 20th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
I will give you the fact that the case is rugged and protects the phone well in falls etc., which is good because it spends more time on the floor than in the holster. The holster is horrible. The slightest bump and it falls out, and yes I have it in right. I saw another style I guess for the older phones that parially wraps around the phone, this style should not have been abandoned if it is older. The nubs into the dimples just does not hold.
September 23rd, 2009 at 11:53 am
UGLY! and bulky! I would never ever buy this! it completely defeats the purpose of the beautiful sleek design of apple products!
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:50 pm
I too have the issue that this phone doesn’t fit my clock dock, case is too deep. the extender (listed a few replies above is a good work-round) Also, the case drops out of sync when using a bluetooth headset, which you dont notice with just audio – the case is too thick for the signal to get through. And yes, the holster is the *****,i used electrical tape over the dots and it tightened up ok.
Alternative; as quoted by a otterbox service rep: The commuter case is a completely different kind of case. It is more sleek, it does not have or need a belt clip/holster with the case. The port at the bottom was made larger and should hold about 80% of after market chargers.
Thank you, Natasha Meggenberg
September 29th, 2009 at 7:58 am
I had a regular generic case on my iPhone 3g. After dropping it twice, the screen shattered, but was still useful thanks to the plastic coating. After a third drop, the phone broke open, ruining the digitizer and processing jnternals. After purchasing a new iPhone 3GS, the otterbox was a NECESSARY insurance. Have already dropped it with no problems, not even a scratch. Plastic framing makes touching corners of screen a little difficult, but u get used to it.
October 7th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
I also use the Otterbox Defender. I’ll put it like this- my 32GB iPhone 3GS is my FORTH iPhone (Yes, FORTH… I had the original 8GB iPhone, then a 16GB iPhone 3G which after a nasty drop the internal antenna must have broke because it couldn’t receive and hold a signal for a damn, a second 16GB iPhone 3G that replaced the first one, and now the 32GB iPhone 3GS).
I’m military and I fly. The abuse my phone takes is insane. Prior to this case, I kept my phone in a bag at all times when in the air. That was the only remotely accurate way to ensure my phone wouldn’t get destroyed (And even then it wasn’t a certainty due to turbulence and shifting during high-G maneuvers where my bag would slide around or bang against objects). Since using this case, I almost always leave it laying out and I’m not even concerned of it falling or getting banged around.
I love this case. This isn’t a case just for “extreme daredevils with social lives.” This is a case for anyone who expects their phone to be put thru abuse.
October 9th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
The otter box does NOT come off once it’s put on. I just went to clean up my iPhone, and I tried in vain for 10 mins to get it off. Broke three nails and used up three paper clips trying to pry it off. Bad design. Also, I am on the phone a lot for work, and the outside of the Otterbox hurts my ears. After conversations, my ears smark for some time after. Again, bad design. Yes, it “defends” your phone, but at what price?
October 13th, 2009 at 11:37 pm
I have recentley bought this case and it is wonderful. I literally dropped my phone while running the mile on concrete… not a scratch.
and for peoples complaints.. SHUTUP! The case is ment to fully protect your phone, and it does just that. This case is not ment for style.
5/5 for me
October 17th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
The case is excelent however i’ve been reading the comments on the belt clip about it being almost too tight. I wish I had this problem because my phone falls out if the wind blows
October 20th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
I agree that the Defender is not for pretty-boys. It’s a little too rugged for that. You can get shiny cases and little glue-on gem stone kits to make your phone pretty, if that’s what you want. For the rest of us, who need a reliable phone in a reliable casing, there is the Defender. I have both the Defender case and the OtterBox 2600 Series PDA Case for my iPhone 3GS and I love them both. It’s quite cool that I can leave the Defender on inside the waterproof PDA case. I use that daily, when I kayak. Thanks OtterBox, for a very very cool and functional case.
October 20th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Very good reviews, answered my question. I just skipped the pretty comment. Dont care what it looks like want protection from dropping which do allot working outside.
Had a hardcase and dropped it, case cracked but not the phone, so the rugged cases are a plus to me. why buying another case.
Like they say if your trying to impress someone at a power lunch, which LOL many do, than get a little Italian leather slipper.
October 22nd, 2009 at 7:22 pm
After having the original IPhone, I recently upgraded to the IPhone 3GS. I wanted to protect my phone/investment and have a friend that has the Blackberry Otterbox. He loves it and talks it up all the time. I looked at his and was impressed. I went to my local AT&T store and bought an IPhone 3GS Otterbox Defender. I was impressed by the case. I started wearing it and was in love with my new IPhone and case. However I started to notice the case would fall out of the belt clip holder for no apparent reason. I would be at a regular walk and it would just fall out. I thought it was possibly due to being a new case. I had my husband look at it and make sure everything was installed/stored correctly. It was but the two clips on the belt clip that hold the case just don’t do as well as the Blackberry case design. It appears to be a design issue. Yesterday, I walked over to were my husband was working and once again my IPhone in the case fell out of the clip. It was in the grass so I didn’t here it or notice it. About five minutes later my husband comes over and show me my month old IPhone with a shattered screen. It had fallen out of the clip and my husband had ran over it with the tractor. I am extremely disappointed in the performance of my Otterbox Defender. I am upset that not only do I have to buy a new IPhone, but the very item I bought to protect it, lead to it distruction. I bought the Otterbox for piece of mind thinking my IPhone would have an extra layer of protection. I will never buy another Otterbox product and will advise all of my IPhone friends and customers of my experience with the Otterbox…..
October 23rd, 2009 at 5:27 pm
The problems with this case is that the inside screen gets dusty so every week, I’m opening this four layer case to clean the inside. 2. I can forsee the case screen getting scratched and old; I don’t see anyway that Otterbox will sell replacment screens. I don’t need it now but time will tell. Other than that; it will not protect it from a tractor or a bath tub but it does keep the lint out and protects it from minor falls and drops… Hope this helps!
November 14th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
I got the Defender and noticed the air bubbles…no big deal. I did notice the iphone does not hold tightly when in the ‘glass out’ position. In the ‘glass in’ position, it’s pretty tight. I wonder if ERIN #48 had hers in the ‘glass out’ position ready for the tractor smash. I got mine last week after my son-in-law had a van run over his one-week-old 3gS in a Defender. It all still worked except for a funny line in the screen. Apple took it back as a defect seeing no sign of abuse. I’d rather deal with a few annoyances than see my iphone busted up from an unfortunate fall. I do hope Otterbox makes replace plastic screen. And I do wish the holder held the iphone in place stronger when in the ‘glass out’ position. I hope everyone knows what I’m talking about when I say ‘glass in’ or ‘glass out’. If not, ask me.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:42 am
I hated the belt clip for the otterbox.I like the box I searched online for three months for a leather case go to nutshell.com
December 1st, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Iverson:
What do you mean by “glass in” and “glass out”?
December 8th, 2009 at 9:07 am
Marissa – The “glass in” “glass out” refers to the front of your phone. If you have it facing the belt clip, that is “glass in”. If you have the back of the phone facing the belt clip, that is “glass out”. I have found from personal experience, plus the advise of the rep at AT&T, that this works much better “glass in”. Plus, it also add a measure of protection for the screen. I work in Emergency Management, and the Fire Service, so “pretty” was not an option for me. If you are looking for a case that will protect your investment – I don’t think it gets any better than an Otter!
December 13th, 2009 at 11:51 am
Yup the Iphone needs to be placed in the belt clip “glass in”. Do it the other way and I guarantee you’ll be picking your phone up off the ground. I found this out after a few drops. Nowhere does it tell you this on the packaging. Even the rep where I bought the phone and the case, had it in the wrong way. Also be careful when you put it in the cradle that clothing doesn’t get caught in between. I’ve never had the phone fall out of the cradle/belt clip if it was placed “glass in”. Hope this helps. Cheers
December 18th, 2009 at 11:15 am
just got mine yes its big but when you spend $300 on a phone i dont want it broke it was about kicked off the bed last night i would have cried if it brok seeing i got my phone 4 days ago i say this is the best case out there i dont mind how it looks. to me it looks like a phone the army would use when its in the case. for get all you who think its ugly
December 18th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
I heard about screen bubbles and echo making calls and it being ugly etc. But this is the best case I’ve had and without it I would have killed my iPhone several times over. I work on fast response boats and although it’s not a completely waterproof case, the phone has survived some very wet situations and seen some decent falls and even been walked over several times. It’s not all about looks, although this case draws more interest than most others.
December 20th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
I just bought the pink and black,,,I’m a case junkie and I actually like the look of this one, BUT…I can’t open it to get the iPhone out! Any tips? Thx.
December 20th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
Ok, I figured it out
If anyone else is having trouble, you need to pry open the top tab and the two side tabs. I bought mine at the AT&T store-packaging was minimal and direction non-existent. I’ll use this case when the phone is going to be in dicey situations..ie outdoor stuff with the kids-probably not an every day case for me. I don’t like the way the screen protector defeats the purpose/beauty of the oleophobic phone on the 3GS. Lots of fingerprints on this protector. I may just remove it. There is still a nice border that I believe would protect the screen in the event of a drop.
December 24th, 2009 at 12:18 am
Definitely a popular case. One of our highest selling products. Not the best looking case but it does the job.
December 26th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
The Defender case from OtterBox is the best protection that I have found for my new 3GS phone. Let’s face it. This was a big investment. After cracking the screen on my iTouch, I knew I had to find a protective case when I got my phone.
I ordered the case from Amazon for under $30 and it protected the phone as advertised except for one thing. The phone would slip out of the belt clip case for no apparent reason. The contact between the case and phone offered little resistance and I could remove the phone with almost no effort. Talking with a friend, I discovered that there was a flaw with my case. I bought another black case with the same results. I then tried the white case and it held a little better. I took it back because it reminded me of an oreo cookie.
While I was in the 3rd AT&T store, I saw they had a pink case. I wasn’t excited about having a pink case, but I asked to see if the phone would stay in the case better than the others. It ended up working like it should. My phone will not fall out accidently. I ended up getting the case and just using the belt clip.
December 27th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
My phone constantly falls out of my belt clip. Am looking for a better case. Any ideas?
December 27th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
This may have been posted already but to get rid of the moisture bubbles between the plastic cover and the glass is to use baby powder. Just simply hold the iphone(glass down) above the bottle of baby powder. Squeeze the bottle hard enough to see a puff of powder come out onto the iphone. Repeat for the case itself and then put the case back together around the iphone. It worked very well for me.
December 30th, 2009 at 11:43 pm
I just got my otterbox in the mail! I love it! I am glad I made the choice to get one for my iphone. I know that my phone is protected.
January 1st, 2010 at 3:09 pm
It’s just a case, but the real fact is Otterbox has developed a problematic product. The oil slick issue and air pocket leads to deadspots on the screen…this issue does not occur unless the phone is in the case. Many people have written about it and the baby powder solution on the Otterbox website is pathetic. It is unreal that Otterbox has posted the baby powder video; essentially admitting there is a problem that they don’t know how to correct. The Otterbox screen issue is simply a product defect and people should know about it before buying. By the way, if the Otterbox solution is to have an antiglare film on the iPhone then include in the purchase of the Defender. Otterbox – FIX YOUR PRODUCT your product.
January 2nd, 2010 at 2:05 am
Hey Jeff I had the same problem with my iPhone slipping out of the belt clip.nutshell.com makes a leather holster for the otter box it is expensive but it is well worth it I have the natural with the small tab magnet metal belt clip
January 4th, 2010 at 2:17 am
I’m typing this as we speak with the Otterbox Defender case on my phone. I’m experiencing the air bubbles that most other people are getting…however, I’m not getting any “dead spots” on the iPhone’s screen. Ever heard of pressing down? It’s an interesting concept that works nicely. The case itself is amazing, and I feel like my phone is completely safe in it. I’ve even dropped my phone from an 8 foot ladder onto concrete just to prove a point to a friend. Can your iPhone case do that?
Yes, put your phone in the holder glass-in. The holder itself gets a better grip on the frame when it is placed like this. I’m not sure why you would want to put it in glass-out, since it’s going to be on your belt, you couldn’t read it anyways. The holder itself also doubles as a mini-stand when the clip is positioned right, for those who want to set your phone down to watch the movie instead of holding it. I guess there’s your glass-out functionality.
The case is not water tight due to the two speaker holes on the bottom and the headphone jack cover on top, but it is pretty water resistant from what I can see. I found most of this out while cleaning the case.
Dust can be a small issue, but after leaving my phone in the Otterbox and carrying it in my pocket instead of the holder for two weeks, the dust was only on the screen itself, not on the back or sides of the phone. Taking the case off to clean the inside isn’t too difficult. Perhaps if you had long nails it would sting a bit. The trick to taking it off is to hold the phone where the volume and the silent toggle are facing you, push the middle tab of the frame off and pull the circular area of the frame. This’ll make a bend in the case (don’t worry, from what I’ve seen, you won’t break it) and the bottom edges of the back of the case will pop out. Easy enough.
As to the air bubble problem, I’m going to buy the $15 no stick skins to go over the screen of my phone to see if that fixes my problems. If it doesn’t, I’ll deal with it because this case was more than worth it.
Over all, I say this is one of the best cases you can buy. I’ve had no serious issues with it. Buy it if you want to keep your phone safe. It’s worth it.
January 10th, 2010 at 3:17 am
If you put the screen protected on the iPhone before you put it in the otter box you will have no problem
January 20th, 2010 at 1:39 am
This case is awesome, very bulky but is a great case. I have dropped my phone countless times, forgetting that i left it on my lap while in the car then dropping it when i get out. Not a scratch. Yesterday i accidentally dropped my Iphone in a tub of water as i was bathing my infant, i thought it over, dead phone. It submerged under about 4 inches of water and i immediately took it out. I took it out of the otterbox case and shut it off. The iphone itself didnt seem very wet, but to play it safe i turned it off and let it dry in a cannister with rice, to try to dry it off. Turned on the phone today and it works perfectly. No BS this case is awesome. Im not one to write reviews, but after this experience i just had to…..get this case, definetly worth it.
January 20th, 2010 at 6:26 am
I bought this case this week. I had the problems with the oil slick on the screen initially but I went out and go the power support anti-glare and this has resolved. The obnly problem I have now is the pre-installed screen protector that is attached to the case has already been scratched by the keys in my bag. It is also very flimsy and I really want to get it out. Does anyone have advice on how to do this without ruining the case?
February 4th, 2010 at 3:41 pm
James Grove – I cut mine out using a hobby knife. Looking at, and cutting from the front, you carefully cut the clear plastic out around the opening. Make sure you are using a new sharp blade on your knife because that clear plasic is a lot stronger and thicker than it looks.
February 4th, 2010 at 10:50 pm
The clip is worthless!!! The whole idea of why you need a case like this is to protect the phone! The phone comes out of the clip if you bump it and the clip breaks easily… I have not had a clip last more than a few months and I take it back and they give me a new one up to a year at the Apple store but I HATE the clip!!! I want a slip in pouch like I had with me PDA!!
February 6th, 2010 at 7:22 am
For those who have problems with the phone falling out of the holster, I bought an elastic strip found in the Wal Mart sewing for 99 cents, I tied it around the top section and it works great. There’s enough for quite a few OBox defenders to go around. 3/8 inch wide. Phone hasn’t fallen out since and still easy to use.
February 6th, 2010 at 7:33 am
one more thing… Removed the screen protector and replaced it with one below from monoprice. Can’t tell it’s even on.
Protective Film w/High Transparency Finish for iPhone 3G(S) 84 cents
February 8th, 2010 at 9:02 am
sound problem using otterbox for iphone 3g every time i clip the last clip at the top it mutes everything keypad sound text sounds ringtones how can i fix this and its not because the mute button is on i think the case is too tight or something at the top