I’m going bareback on the iPhone 15 and here’s why

In just under a week’s time, Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 15 Pro Max. A phone that is likely to be not only one of the best phones on the market, but also the most expensive model Apple has sold. When you spend over a grand on a phone, you want to keep it safe, and so most new buyers will fit their new models with a phone case.

Phone cases are as much part of owning a smartphone as earphones and chargers. The question is what case you’ll put on your new phone rather than whether you will use one.

I’ve used a phone case for about as long as I’ve had mobile phones. My first Nokia 3110 was swiftly squeezed into a leather case with a clip large enough to attach to your belt, while my svelte Nokia 8210 had a mirrored back for extra style. I like to keep my technology looking like new – I’ll leave the protective plastic on devices as long as I can – so I’ve never questioned protecting my phone with a case.

That was until this month. After hearing stories of the benefits of carrying your phone sans-case I thought I’d give it a try. The main advantage of a case is the protection it offers from bumps and scratches but even the thinnest of models adds significant girth to the phone and changes how it feels.

Without the case on, you get to experience the cold hard metal of the iPhone. The texture and colour of the glass back panel is wasted hidden under leather or silicon, and the sheer edges of the stainless steel surround feel so much nicer in the hand.

There is a heightened fear that comes with using a phone bareback. Every time I took it out of my pocket I was sure I was going to drop it and watch it smash on the concrete. I’ve seen the result of a phone dropped on a hard surface without a case and it’s not pretty. But I found this fear made me more careful with it.

Rumour has it that the incoming iPhone 15 Pro models will have a titanium body, much like the Apple Watch Ultra. This will make them lighter but more importantly, it will also make them stronger. Combined with the very latest version of the ceramic shield on the front, this phone is likely to be the toughest since the original Nokia 3310.

So, when I get my new iPhone 15 Pro Max, I’m planning to leave the case off this time, and I suggest you do too – though maybe buy that extra handset insurance, just in case.