Apple is Now Requiring MFi Cases to Protect the iPhone From 1 Meter High Drops
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Posted December 11, 2014 at 9:00pm by iClarified
Apple has updated the requirements of its Made For iPhone program to required third party cases to protect the iPhone from drops of up to one meter, reports 9to5Mac.
The new restrictions were introduced in the months following the launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus and will require case makers to protect Apple devices from drops up to a 1 meter (3.2 feet) onto a hard surface like pavement. That includes protection of the device in any orientation including the usually exposed cover glass on the Apple device.
In addition to this, cases now must also protect the display of the iPhone, iPad, or iPod when lying flat on a surface. Cases have to provide a buffer of at least 1mm between the cover glass and the flat surface. Manufacturers can either cover the glass entirely or have their case protrude slightly from the glass to keep it from touching the surface.
Finally, Apple is restricting manufacturers from using a number of substances/materials including Formaldehyde, Endangered species of flora and fauna, PFOS, PFOA, PBDE, PBB, and Phthalates. Some of the restrictions are due to new environmental regulations and others such as Phthalates are being banned following studies that show adverse health effects.
You can learn more about Apple's MFi Program at the link below...
I Might add that, cases that stick up above the screen surface, even a little bit, suck. It feels so gross sliding your finger over this bump when it should just be smooth. I personally like the thin cases that aren't bulky. The ONLY reason I have a case on at all is just so when I set it down on its back it doesn't get a scratch or scuff. If I wasn't worried about that I'd have no case at all.
Oddly, Apple's own cases do not meet this requirement. The bumpers for the 4/4S were awesome, they never made one for the 5 as they should have, instead reverting to "fashion" cases from the 5 and up. Hope that changes.
This is to dummy proof cases for people. Most people don't think about how well a case will protect their phone if they drop it. It's going to reduce broken phones not eliminate it.
So if I drop my phone from a meter high on concrete, and it is protected on their cases, and the glass cracks, the should replace it at no cost, right?
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