Reviews for Apple iPhone 4 Bumper - Black

This bumper is the slimmest and the nicest looking bumper but each time you have to plug in to recharge or sync you have to take it off, because it does not allow the plug to lock in fully and it comes off enough to disconnect it due to the thickness. Taking it off everytime you recharge which is every day, the rubber eventually rips.

54 of 64 people found this useful

I used this case for a year on my iPhone 4, carried in my pocket.

The look is awesome but the case permanently scratched the metal band surrounding the phone, as well as the volume and sleep buttons. I always carried the phone in a very clean pocket so the matter remains in the bumper itself.

Apple needs to put a thin later of silicon or something around the entire inside of the case.

38 of 40 people found this useful

Pros: Looks great, keeps the phone thin instead of bulky, protected my phone from all the times I dropped it, solves the antenna issue
Cons: My AUX and Car charger will not fit, the colors are too girly (bright green, bright blue, bright pink, bright orange) or boring (white and black).

40 of 56 people found this useful

I got the black bumper as my first case for my iPhone 4S. It was great for the first two or three months, but after me taking it off time after time, the middle of the bottom broke in half.

If you don't take your case on and off constantly, it works fairly well.

It doesn't necessarily protect the back/front of the phone, but it does a good job of protecting the sides. It also provides a good grip, for both holding and sliding in and out of pockets.

I would recommend this case as a first case for iPhones, but not as anything else.

30 of 39 people found this useful

It's a svelte case. It scratches the metal band over time. The plastic falls apart after a year. All of these issues are very well documented, and I don't have much to add. I'd probably get another one if they weren't as expensive as they are.

It does protect the phone somewhat against drops, and it solves the antenna issue completely. On that alone, I was glad that I had one. Before it fell apart.

21 of 22 people found this useful

I bought this case last July after I had my iPhone for about a month without a case. I liked how it had little bulk and thickness, because I didn't want to buy a huge case that would hide the iPhone 4's sleek design. It's easy to fit almost any headphones or audio cords into the audio jack; the top headphone hole is rubber, therefore it can stretch somewhat around larger cords, but the USB connector hole is tailored to the newer, slimmer Apple cords only. I dropped my phone a few times with the Bumper on and had no damage to the phone itself and only a few minor scratches to the Bumper.

HOWEVER, after about four months of owning this case, I started to notice that it does in fact scratch the stainless steel antenna of the iPhone. It wasn't very noticeable, but it still bothered me enough to stop using the case. So instead of continuing to allow the case to damage the sides of my phone, I opted for Griffin's version of the Bumper, the Griffin Reveal Frame. It's pretty much the same type of case, costing the same as the official Apple Bumper, but with a cooler looking design (in my opinion) and an overall tighter fit around the phone.

In my perspective, if you want a simple, minimalist case and you don't care if it will scratch the metal sides of your iPhone, get a Bumper.

18 of 18 people found this useful

I purchased my bumper approximately 4 months ago, I love that it keeps my back glass slighty off of surfaces that may harm the glass. The colors selections were fun and a plenty, and I feel it has saved my phone many times from being broken. However, the coloring I chose (blue) stained soon after I bought the product, my face makeup included! I'll be looking for a new phone cover soon because of the discoloration, if Apple improves the materials it is made of I would buy it again though.

21 of 25 people found this useful

At first, i loved this case. the exact fit, the style, the uniqueness & the Apple made brand. It all felt smooth. And boy did it make my phone look sexy.
Then, I take off the case, only finding out that it scratched the stainless steel band. I was very ashamed. I had done the old "take it out and clean it every week" routine, but i'm guessing that didn't help. Don't get me wrong, it's an excellent case. But to make a single flexible case, only finding out that it may cause scratches & possibly, in the near future, shatter the phone if dropped wrong.. and then charging $29 for a silicone/plastic case? Now that's just crossing the line Apple. It really is.

17 of 19 people found this useful

To put it in brief terms, this bumper does its job, but is not durable itself. It does protect the phone from falls (I dropped my phone in a parking lot once and it even SLID underneath another car....not once scratch on the iPhone itself!). Those who complain about the phone being scratched by the bumper should practice taking the phone out of it every night or so just to wipe any dust particles off of it. That being said, this will eventually lead to the bumper's hard plastic area around the 30-pin adapter to tear, ripping the soft rubber with it. I've had the bumper since October '11, and it started to tear like that maybe a month and a half ago (middle of February).

Apple needs to make a more durable hard plastic that can withstand the tension of being removed and put back on constantly. While keeping the price intact (that way maybe the value will actually match that steep $30 price point).

15 of 16 people found this useful