If it requires a case to not be a nuisance why isn't the case included? Why is the phone made of glass if nobody is ever going to see it? Why go to the lengths to make it thinner than the camera just to add a case? It's just really sloppy and antithetical to what I appreciate(d?) about Apple's devices.

I still wish there was a smaller iPhone that I could operate one-handed without the hacky home button tap to reach the top of the screen. How does that work on the X without the home button?

> why isn't the case included

Same as with the wireless charger and wireless earbuds, they are advertised as part of the iphone innovative features but sold separately, so that they can advertise the whole line as "starting from $699"; meanwhile the whole iphone experience actually starts just shy of a thousand dollars.

> I still wish there was a smaller iPhone

me too, me too. holding tight to the 5s for now, I'm not gonna get a pouch for these non-pocketable monstrosities.

Reachability on an x is done by swiping down the bottom edge of the screen, and it really does feel a lot more natural than the double-tap of the older iPhones.

Because there are hundreds of options to choose from?

I don't choose Apple for options. I choose Apple for devices that work and get out of my way. Customization is not always a feature. This is a similar philosophy to sane defaults in software.

From my perspective the aftermarket cell phone case fixes a flaw in the design.

> Why is the phone made of glass if nobody is ever going to see it?

Highly likely unrelated, but it reminds me of Steve Jobs's biography where he talks about the important lesson from his dad about making sure every aspect of your work is done with care throughout. Even the parts people won't see.

Maybe. That lesson would lead me to say there should not be a camera blister because a phone that wobbles on a table wa snot made with care.

> I still wish there was a smaller iPhone

I upgraded to an X from a 5. The screen real estate really allowed me to not to turn on my computer at some nights, which I consider as a plus. I just read what I want to read, and reply a bunch of e-mails, then put it off.

It’s designed for a case because it’s an additional revenue source.

The sales reps can push for warranty or a case. Either way a win-win for Apple shareholders.

> Why is the phone made of glass if nobody is ever going to see it?

For being a radio frequency transparent, premium material?

But why do I care if it is premium if I never see it? Presumably the case material is RF transparent too?

Because there is a million different ones.

Apple does not expect you to use a case, though they will certainly sell you one. Virtually no Apple promotional media features people using iPhones in cases (they are always au naturale), and Jony Ive certainly does not use one.

The cases Apple sells you feel like they're part of the phone after you put them on. My phone feels naked without it. And I was a hardcore case hater for the longest time. Now I've seen the light, Apple engineered their cases with every bit as much care as they did the phone. I can see why they wouldn't put one on in the marketing materials, but trust me they really do go together.

Check out the left edge of your iPhone X. Look at the ugly cutout for the mute toggle, right above the plastic buttons they added to pad out the phone's volume buttons so that they're actually usable in a case. If "in case" was the design spec for the iPhone, I think Apple could do better here.

I have a 7 Plus, but mine has a cutout as well for the mute toggle that makes it more difficult to use. I consider this a feature, when I went without a case, one of my main gripes was that I could never control the state of the mute toggle. Now it never switches on or off accidentally while the phone is in my toggle.

Just because they decided "if you insist on using a case, we built you the best case" (and I agree, and I use the case; but I also used cases from InCase before Apple started making cases), that doesn't mean they intend you to use a case.

> I guarantee Jony uses a case.

Doubt it. For one, he can just get a new iPhone if his breaks, and two, he takes a lot of pride in his work. He's not going to go and cover it up.

> The notch helps in securing the case.

"The notch" usually refers to the screen cutout for sensors at the top of the iPhone X screen, which has no relevance to the case. Do you mean the camera bump?

The iPhone cases from Apple would grip the same without the camera bump and corresponding case cutout. The sides of the apple cases wrap around all four edges of the phone, with only a partial cutout for speakers, microphone, and lightning port at the bottom. The edges of the case hold it very securely. It's hard to get the phone out because the edges grip so tightly.

> The changing shape of the notch also means that cases don't transfer between iPhone models.

The rest of the dimensions also change. If the iPhone 7 and 8 had the camera in the exact same spot, the cases still wouldn't be interchangeable. Not with a good fit on each phone at least.

> I guarantee Jony uses a case.

I bet he doesn't. People use cases to protect their phones. Ive could break a hundred phones and not feel any pain from replacing them.

Their leather cases will help keep them on your armrest, too, because they peel into a tacky flaky mess within two months. Very cheap and nasty.

This hasn’t been my experience, I’ve only spent the money for a leather case once (always used to go caseless) but I’ve had this case for more than a year and It’s held up beautifully.

I’ve noticed that their silicone cases peel as you’ve described, but I’ve had great luck with the leather case even after years of abuse, drops, and getting it damp.