You received your new iPhone 12 mini and the second thing you need is a case. The first thing you need is a new charger since this is not in the box and thinking you can charge it using your MacBook Air charger is the worst possible thing you can do.
Now I will be blunt and say that if you buy a R1200 silicon case at the iStore you are stupid. I love Apple but I seriously think they need to reconsider some of the pricing they have for basic accessories. The charger set me back about R299 on top of the purchase price of the iPhone 12 mini, but I think that is a fair price. R1200 for a silicon case is not. I am sorry but it just is not.
iPhone 12 mini case #1
I popped out of the iStore in Menlyn and headed over to one of the several new “gadget” shops that have popped up in our malls post Covid-19 lockdown in South Africa. Personally I think these types of stores are popping up faster than the rate of Covid-19 cases.
I got this…
It is a basic case going for about R100 and it was the only clear case that still allowed for the brilliant red of the iPhone 12 mini to still be enjoyed.
The problem however with this case is two-fold.
The first is the bulky buffers around the corners of the device. It seems like a great idea as it will add additional protection should you drop your smartphone, but, this really digs into your fingers when you start typing a message of just hold the device in general.
The second problem is that the cover wraps over the side of the phone.
Where this becomes a problem is when you are doing basic slide actions from either the sides or top and bottom of the screen area. The way the iOS user interface is designed means that you will be making use of this a lot to move between apps or access menu systems and shortcuts.
With this cover that 1mm elevation make a massive difference in the user experience and your constantly have your thumb moving over this area. After a while it starts feeling hard on your fingers and you eventually give up and take off the cover.
The cover is of sturdy quality so I won’t fault it on that. I am sure it will add the additional protection it needs to. I just feel it takes too much away from the user experience.
iPhone 12 mini case #2
The second case I got from my local Vodacom 4U store. At R299 it is a bit more expensive but more reasonable than the R1200 asked by the iStore.
It is a softer case cover, still transparent to show of the colour of your phone and does the same job you’d expect of a case.
This one is a bit thinner and doesn’t take away too much of the slim feel of the iPhone 12 mini. It also does not create the elevated rim around the screen area.
There is still a slight elevation which allows for you to place your phone face down on a surface and not have the screen touch it directly. However, it does not take away from the user interaction as with the previous case.
I understand that these thing might seem petty if it is not your phone. Yet, this is my phone and I want a great experience when I use it. I do not want to get irritated and contemplate on how far I can through it across a room. Now that would be petty.
Covers and cases are important. They protect our little investments. Pick the right iPhone 12 mini case.
