It’s that time of year again — iPhone upgrade season.
For those of you who rose at the crack of dawn and placed your order in what I like to call the festival of “Rush-iPhone-Ah” (also known as the great Apple harvest), you might have obsessed over which color to get.
Also: I went hands-on with iPhone 16 Pro – my 3 favorite features of Apple’s pocket supercomputer
Well, I didn’t. Why? Because I’m throwing mine in a case, that’s why. I ordered my iPhone 16 Pro Max in natural titanium — the easiest color to snag — and I didn’t want to wait an extra month for delivery.
Do you need a case? Absolutely
Not using a case almost guarantees you’ll damage your device the first time you drop it. Maybe you’ve been one of the lucky ones who’s never cracked a screen. If so, congratulations — you’ve defied the odds. But the iPhone 16 lineup introduces new risks, and you might not be so lucky this time.
Also: I maxed out my iPhone 16 Pro Max preorder. How much it cost me
The iPhone 16 series has the narrowest bezels we’ve ever seen, giving users more screen real estate and a sleek, immersive design. However, the slimmer bezels also mean the edges are more exposed, making your phone more vulnerable to damage from drops. Compared to the iPhone 15’s 1.55mm bezels, the iPhone 16 has 1.2mm bezels, increasing the risk of screen impacts.
Those upgrading from the iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 will notice an even more dramatic change. The iPhone 12 series had 3.47mm bezels, and the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 had slightly thinner bezels, but they were still wider than those of the iPhone 16.
Also: iPhone 16 Pro vs. iPhone 13 Pro: Should you upgrade?
If you’re coming from one of these older models, you’ll be adjusting to a significantly more exposed display, making the need for a protective case and glass screen protector even more crucial.