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The iPhone 12 series of phones is here. You have four to choose from, enough to make a cozy family of smartphones.
Apple’s iPhone 12 Mini is the baby of the bunch, a 5.4-inch screen pocket rocket with as much power as the top model. The standard iPhone 12 raises the screen size to 6.1 inches and we think that’s a good starting point for most iPhone buyers.
Spend a little more and you’ll get into the Pro league. The iPhone 12 Pro has an incredible zoom camera, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max has even greater zooming abilities and a much larger 6.7-inch screen.
All four use Apple’s signature new design, swapping curved for flat corners. It looks sharper and reduces volume. But the last thing you want is to spoil that look with scratches and scuffs.
Here are five of the best ways to protect your phone and be covered in the event of loss or theft.
1. Holster – the number one choice for everyday protection
The number one rule for owning an iPhone is that you should consider buying a case. Even if you don’t get one, don’t sleepwalk at this stage and wonder why you’ve scraped away the beautiful aluminum (or steel) sides of your iPhone 12 in week one.
There are almost countless box designs. The most basic are the third-party silicone ones that can cost a few dollars or pounds. More advanced versions of this same ideal use small air pockets in the corners. These compress on impact, absorbing the force of a fall.
For a sharper look, consider a polycarbonate shell instead. These are more difficult and therefore often feel more refined. However, most protect your phone better from scratches than impacts. Still, an iPhone 12 with a hard case will withstand a drop better than a bare one.
Cases with the highest level of protection use different types of material. It may have foam on the corners, an inner layer of rubber, and an outer layer of hard plastic, for true armor-like toughness.
The iPhone 12 also introduces a new case-related feature, MagSafe. A magnet behind the back glass of the phone locks MagSafe phones in place so you don’t have to snap them into position. Look for MagSafe cases to make full use of an iPhone 12 hardware.
2. Screen protector: sealing the value of a phone
We would say that a screen protector is even more important than a case. It is much easier to ignore a scratch on the side or back than a scratch on the front.
IPhone 12 has a new type of tempered glass with a ceramic coating on its surface. Apple claims that it is even harder than the tempered glass in other high-end phones. But prevention is better than cure, eh?
A basic screen protector is a piece of plastic with adhesive on one side. We found these don’t spoil a phone’s image quality or touchscreen performance, but getting them bubble-free can be tricky. Consider looking for one that comes with a setting tool in the box if you’ve had problems in the past.
Like a cheap case, you can buy a basic screen protector online for a few dollars or pounds.
High-end screen protectors are made of tempered glass, which will pick up damage less easily than a low-end one. You will see that some of these are marketed at a “9H” hardness, which means they are harder than glass or topaz, and only one step below diamond.
Such claims are a bit ambitious, but glass screen protectors are very popular and stay fresh longer. They usually cost around $ 6-15 / £ 5- £ 15.
3. Get stylish with a phone case
A phone case is the cleverest way to protect your iPhone. This is a bit like the wrap that a custom shop could put on a performance car.
They are made from thin vinyl and don’t add weight or bulk to your iPhone 12. Drop protection is minimal, but scratch protection is excellent.
Design is the highlight here. You’ll find some incredibly intricate and daring phone case designs online. They can turn your iPhone from a masterpiece of engineering into a masterpiece of art.
You can often choose whether to leave the Apple logo on the back “bare” or not. And many have small pieces that cover the glass around the cameras for a true full-back effect.
4. Telephone insurance: covers damage, loss or theft
Mobile insurance can save your life if you have a high-priced phone like an iPhone 12. You can buy phone insurance on your own, or you can add it to your home insurance.
As with any insurance policy, the key is to verify what it covers before paying.
Standard things to look for include theft, accidental damage, and liquid damage. It can also cover the phone accessories and the failures that develop in the phone without any obvious accident causing them.
You may have to pay extra for lost. It makes sense given that you are making a claim with limited evidence that the phone was actually lost, or even existed in the first place.
5. Find My (iPhone): never lose your iPhone
Your best bet is not to lose your phone in the first place. Apple can help with that. It has a brilliant feature called Find My, which helps you locate your iPhone, iPad, MacBook, or AirPods.
Turning it on only takes a moment. Go to the ‘Settings’ menu of the iPhone, tap on your name and then ‘Find me’. You will need to log into your Apple ID account and then make sure the feature is enabled on the switch on this page.
Then when you misplace your iPhone 12, you can find where iCloud last saw it in any browser.
Go to iCloud.com/find. You will be prompted to enter your login details and Find My will then point out where your iPhone is, or at least it was the last time it had a battery.
