Apple iPhone 6 & 6 Plus Silicone Case Review
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Apple's next-generation line of larger than life iPhones have hit the market by storm. And our job is to test the latest and greatest in iPhone protection. It isn't easy picking a case for the hottest smartphone on the market when there's a overwhelming selection of cases to choose from. And if you want to play it safe, considering one of the official Apple-made cases for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus is generally the easiest decision you can make when looking to protect your investment. Instead of releasing one case as it has for the iPhone 5s, this year Apple has released two cases for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus: one made from genuine leather and the other from a less premium silicone material. Both options mirror last year's iPhone 5s Leather Case design, albeit precision made to fit in with Apple's new rounder design trend of the iPhone 6. Naturally we were more interested in checking out Apple's new Silicone Case for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which should appeal to a lot more users than Apple's more expensive leather variant. The question is should you encase your slick, bigger and better iPhone in one of Apple's silicone cases? You can catch our full, in-depth review down below to find out.
Apple's iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Silicone Case cases are beautifully presented inside familiar pod-like clear packaging, which has a stress-free quick opening tab on the back for effortless unpacking. Due to the rounded shape of the new iPhones, Apple has also packaged the Leather Case in a similar way compared to the iPhone 5s version, which came packaged inside a less original and more wasteful boxy plastic packaging.
If you’re not a fan of leather and the price tag that comes with it, Apple’s Silicone Case for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus is a slightly cheaper alternative that will get the job done just as well and will even provide more grip in the process. Although it will cost you less than the leather-made variant, Apple's iPhone 6 Silicone Case will set you back $35, while iPhone 6 Plus users will need to pay slightly more at $39. Both are offered in a wide variety of vibrant colors including a (PRODUCT) Red, blue, green, pink, white and black. Though on closer inspection, the black colored Silicone Case is actually a very dark shade of gray more than a pure black hue. So you will notice that it's a lighter shade of black when encasing a Space Gray iPhone 6 or 6 Plus.
Blue and black Silicone Case cases for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6.
Red Apple Silicone Case case for the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. As you can tell, the two are identical in terms of design, material and finish apart from the obvious difference in size.
From an interior prospective, the Silicone Case features the same soft and supple microfiber lining that you get with the Apple Leather Case for the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c Case to protect the aluminum unibody of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus whilst improving the fit around the device. The material fully covers the entire interior of the case right up to the bezel, which is great since very little to no dust will get trapped underneath your iPhone. It's a nice and welcome touch of attention to detail that corresponds with all of Apple's iPad and iPhone accessories including Smart Covers and Smart Cases.
Just like the perforated iPhone 5c variant, the Silicone Case simply installs by gently snapping over the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus with a buttery-smooth friction, fitting around the device like a second skin. As expected, the fit is absolutely immaculate and extremely secured.
Apple has once again used the 'less is more' approach towards designing the new cases for its next-generation iPhone models. It literally looks like all of Apple's efforts went into designing plenty of unique straps for the upcoming Apple Watch instead of giving its iPhone customers a bit more choice this time around. I mean don't get me wrong, the styling of the iPhone 5c case was a bold and interesting move. There’s really nothing much to discuss. The back of the Apple Silicone Case is as plain as it can get really, apart from a tasteful embossing of the Apple brand that is. Because let’s face it, without the Apple logo this case would look even more mundane and I do appreciate subtle brand recognition here and there. That being said, despite its dull styling I quite like the minimalist design and solid colorways of the Apple Silicone Case. It’s not by any means the type of case you’ll purchase to appreciate the back side of your iPhone 6 or iPhone6 Plus, but rather a perfect accessory for concealing those controversial and arguably ugly looking plastic antenna breaks many people have been complaining about on social media.
A Smart Cover-inspired flip-style protective case, specifically one made for the iPhone 6 Plus, would seriously make a lot of sense now that the iPhone sports such a big display and the ability to be used in landscape orientation. Alas, Apple never did bother in making compelling accessories for the iPhone. It’s a real shame that it has once again neglected the iPhone accessory market by not spending enough time and dedication to conceive a brand new case offering that’s also practical and adds more value to its best selling iPhone yet.
Have you ever held a bar of soap? Yeah, that's what holding the iPhone 6 Plus is like only at a much slimmer scale. I may be over-exaggerating the situation, but anyone coming from a smaller device such as the iPhone 5s or larger Android devices like the Galaxy S5 will find it more difficult to wield. With the new rounder and slimmer all-aluminum design of the iPhone 6 I found that it was substantially more slippery to hold. Thankfully the Silicone Case mitigates any and all remnants of its inherently slick form factor with its highly grippy silicone rubbery material and matte textured finish. It honestly helps using the larger iPhone 6 Plus one handed that much more secure – and dare I say even more stable when you're going over the edge with balancing your huge iPhone on your finger tips just so that you can reach more with your thumb. The same applies when using the 4.7-inch iPhone 6, but the benefit of using a case such as Apple's Silicone Case is far greater and important in adding that much necessary grip to get that bigger 5.5-inch device encased with this silicone material so that you can decrease the chances of your losing hold of your iPhone.
The level of refinement and quality of the Silicone Case for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus matches every other case Apple has made that features this rubbery polyurethane material. But instead of polyurethane, which Apple uses to makes its Smart Covers, the Silicone Case is made out of this tackier silicone rubber material that is backed by an interior support layer that gives the case a semi-rigidity structure. The matte finish gives the silicone a silky smooth, super soft finish that's pleasing to the touch. We have yet to use a silicone case that is uniquely made and highly refined as this one. Except for of course Apple's iPhone 5c silicone case. And just like it, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Silicone Case simply feels different when held in person than any other case we've tested, and that's a good thing. It's worth noting that like the iPhone 5c case, we noticed the black colored Silicone Case attracted and displayed more lint and oily fingerprints atop its matte rubbery finish. The material isn't tacky though even though it does offer up plenty of traction, so with a quick wipe the case will be as good as new.
As far as durability goes, Apple's Silicone Case is not exactly a resilient. If you’ve ever used a polyurethane Smart Cover for the iPad for as long as a year, you’d know that the material isn’t all that durable against staining. The red color is largely more susceptible to marring from everyday use. Something to bare in mind when choosing a color. We would recommend black as the most durable color choice when picking up an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus Silicone Case, or a Leather Case for that matter.
When looking for a protective case one should also consider how comfortable it is to use and whether it adds any value to the usage of your device. And I can definitely say that the Silicone Case enhances the usability of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus thanks to its extraordinarily grippy surface without barely adding any bulk on top of it all. It also helps that the Silicone Case features a forgiving minimalist design that closely hugs every corner and edge around the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus so that it feels really great to hold, even for extended periods of time. The silicone feels so good to handle that you'll want to keep touching it and won't want to put your iPhone down. This literally is a feel-good case, and that's exactly the type of protective case we look for when picking a case for daily use.
Unlike the iPhone 5c case, this silicone case does ever so slightly wrap around the beveled glass edges of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, and in doing so, the Silicone Case fully hides and protects the aluminum construction of the iPhone. This sort of overlapping design doesn't interfere with screen protectors as far as we know it. The downside to this and virtually any iPhone 6 case is that they all hinder the enjoyment of being able to slide your finger off that beveled glass edge. And that's to be expected consider the glass and aluminum seamlessly meld with one another with this rounded shape as oppose to the chamfered aluminum bezel of the iPhone 5s that was met with a flat glass display.
Looks aside, the Apple Silicone Case is more about what it offers the user in day to day usage rather than being just another flashy accessory for you to customize the look and feel of your device to further announce your unique individuality. No. This is the sort of case that feels absolutely, without a doubt, fantastic. Just like the iPhone 5c Silicone Case, Apple has reused that same great case formulation in this iteration of the Silicone Case, only redesigned to compliment the drastic rounded and ultra-slim form factor of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. This case is exactly the same case made for the iPhone 5c, only with a two differences made noticeable by its solid back and bottom-less cutout. Because it wouldn’t make sense to annoy users with a perforated design a la Crocs slippers, Apple has essentially replicated its iPhone 5s Leather Case in silicone form with an entirely solid back. If you’ve ever held, felt or owned an iPhone 5c Case made by Apple, then you’ll know exactly what to expect out of the iPhone 6 version.
Due to how extraordinarily thin both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are, Apple decided to leave the front-facing bottom portion of the Silicone Case partially opened, thus exposing parts of the iPhone's beveled glass and aluminum body, which is bound to bother a lot of people and for good reason. This type of case design has been used by many third party case manufacturers for years now as it also allows users to remove and install their cases more easily. And indeed we can confirm that even with the larger iPhone 6 Plus Silicone Case it is really easy to remove and re-apply thanks to the added benefit of additional flexibility brought on by this wider bottom opening design.
And to be fair, the Silicone Case does wrap around the bottom edges to ensure that even with the exposed opening, the case will still form a protective barrier between the iPhone and a flat surface. That said, the bottom area exposing the edges of the glass is still more vulnerable than the rest of the encased areas of the device. The good news is that this large opening also allows the use of bulky 3.5mm audio plugs and Lightning connectors made by third party manufacturers.
Taking a look at the front side of the iPhone we can see that the Silicone Case offers an aesthetically pleasing periphery around the display, augmenting it with a touch of color. It also creates an acceptably thick border around the beveled glass with a nicely rounded edge raising it from easily coming in contact with a flat surface such as a desk. Meaning you’ll be able to place your iPhone screen side down without having to worry about scratching it. And should you accidentally drop your device, this raised edge outlining the front side of the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus should reduce the potential risk of the glass cracking upon impact. That being said, we don’t believe that Apple’s Silicone Case will offer nearly enough drop protection as a more rugged case such as the noteworthy Spigen Tough Armor or the Speck CandyShell - both cases are great alternatives with some tradeoffs. So if you are known to drop your smartphone more often than not, we highly suggest that you do not pick up Apple’s Silicone Case as it is only intended to provide minimal drop protection from light impacts as well as perfectly acceptable scratch protection on a daily basis.
The Apple Silicone Case feels great in the hand on both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, offers a bunch of grip and traction and most importantly its got an extremely sturdy perimeter that won't flex unnecessarily. However, it will flex slightly to fit over the iPhone without much effort. While you may be able to slightly bend the case from side to side, you won't be able to bend or flex it in half which is the reason why it feels this rigid when put over the iPhone. It's also worth mentioning that the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus Silicone Case case is very slim, very light and features a thin shell-like shape that has a very thin profile so we're glad to see that Apple made sure to strengthen the edges so that they don't sag or have any weak spots otherwise found on other silicone-type cases. This case seems to have a perfect balanced frame and strengthened support against unwanted flexing for a silicone rubber made case, and that's impressive to say the least.
Around the case are seamless pill-shaped button indentation creating a fully encased protection around the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus while buttons remain highly tactile and a pleasure to press through that silicone material.
Conversely, the cutout for the mute/silent switch above the volume up and down buttons is on the small size which will require most to use their fingernail to activate that switch through the small opening.
Taking a closer look at the camera and True-Tone LED flash opening we can see that Apple has used the same black plastic outliner from the leather case in order to create a bezel around the opening which separates the colored portion of the case to eliminate any flash wash-out when using the camera in the dark. We tested the red version of the case with an iPhone 6 Plus and took a photo in completely darkness with the help of the LED flash, and I’m happy to report that there were no color tinting intrusion or flash-back issues whatsoever. Photos come out clean as expected when using these colorful silicone cases.
It’s also worth pointing out the fact that when encased with the Apple Silicone Case, the camera bulge being the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus is discretely recessed within the camera and LED cutout. So if for whatever reason this bothered you, using a case even this slim will help mitigate your understandable OCD-ness about the arguable design flaw and uneven rear side of your iPhone 6.
With Apple's Silicone Case you're not going to get much in the way of drop and impact protection, so if that's what you're mostly concerned about having dropped your phone on numerous occasions, then this isn't the case you should be purchasing. The Silicone Case is made with a thin layer of shock-absorbing silicone so it's great from a minimal bulk standpoint as well as serving as a fantastic grippy casing for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. It's not a case that will appeal to everyone. But we think it's a great option to consider nonetheless. The biggest drawback is of course the price. And if you're willing to spend upwards of $40 on a very well made silicone rubber case, you'll be hard pressed to find a better similar alternative. Do you want the slimmest case with the most amount of grip? Get the Apple Silicone Case.
Apple's Silicone Case isn't going to do anything to keep your iPhone 6 Plus from potentially bending inside your pocket. If you're actually worried about such madness, get yourself a rigid case such as Spigen's Tough Armor or a less bulky option – the Speck CandyShell Grip. Though the obvious tradeoff to using a robust case such as the Tough Armor is clearly more bulk and less grip. But what's more important to you than protecting your investment from bending inside your tight skinny jeans?
And if you're still set on going for one of Apple’s official iPhone 6 cases, you may as well opt for the silicone case as it will give you the best value for your money while still offering the same amount of slim protection and great fit as the more expensive leather iPhone 6 case that Apple makes. If you want a case that will fit your iPhone 6 or 6 Plus extraordinarily well, provide a pleasant feel and pronominal grip with decent all-around protection, then by all means go for the Apple Silicone Case. We highly recommend it despite its marked-up price tag. It's the sort of case that you'll like from the very moment you slip it on. With its simplistic styling, satisfyingly silky smooth rubbery texture and a glove-like curve-hugging fit, the Silicone Case for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus is unlike any other silicone or TPU case made by a third part case manufacturer. There's no substitute we know of at the moment that offers such an authentic fit, finish and enhanced user experience. And for that reason it is worthy of our Editors' Choice Award.
