LifeProof pioneered the waterproof, shockproof iPhone case in 2011 when the original LifeProof protected the iPhone 4/s from dropping it on the ground, smothering it in ketchup, mustard, and dirt only to successfully rinse it off in a fish tank. We were had then and watched as the company grew into an iPhone case powerhouse which drew copycats and eventually an acquisition by OtterBox last year.
I’ve had LifeProof’s new Fre iPhone 6 case since it debuted last month and have put it through all kinds of torture tests, most notably my three-year-old who likes to watch Ben and Holly in the bath tub and six-year-old who sees no problem sled riding and skiing with a smartphone (Read: GPS tracking device).
The bottom line? It continues to protect from everything. Lots of drops, dirt, water, snow. Pretty much anything…
A reader even left her Lifeproof-ed iPhone 5 on top her car, drove off and heard it slide down the back of her car and onto the road at highway speeds. She almost didn’t go back for it knowing it was totally destroyed. When she did find it, it was working perfectly. Sure, the Lifeproof case was a mess, but the iPhone was almost entirely unscathed.
We hear stories like this all the time about LifeProof cases which back up the credo “Complete confidence — total freedom” – a set it and forget it type of case for your expensive iPhone investment.
That said, this case does have a few shortcomings. One, it doesn’t feel quite as elegant as other iPhone cases including LifeProof’s own Nuud line (available for iPhone 5/s as low as $30, coming to iPhone 6/Plus next year) in the front especially. The waterproof plastic is a step down from the glass you are used to and the sound from the top speaker is muffled slightly. It also has narrow input ports for the headphone jack and Lightning connector. Apple gear works great but if you have an iPhone 6 dock or third party cable, you might need to thin it out a little bit first.
I do like that the screw plug for the headphones is attached to the side and volume/mute buttons are guarded. Overall, this case is well thought out. Even taking it off and putting it back together has improved from previous/competing models which often take a lot of pressure and time to put on properly. The Fre was on my phone within a minute of getting the box and comes off in seconds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E61NBIkgxCM
Overall, it is simply the best waterproof, shockproof case available for iPhone 6 out there. 2015 will bring the Nuud case which I’m expecting to like more as well as Griffin’s survivor, Otterbox Preserver and many more.
Pros:
- Thinner than ever (with the help of the thinner iPhone 6 obv.)
- Totally waterproof to 6 feet for 1 hour. Very shock resistant. Dust? Snow? No problem.
- Camera, volume and Touch ID work fine.
Cons:
- Headphone and Lightning charging ports often require specialized smaller cables
- Plastic front looks cheaper and smears easier than I’d like…
You can pick up the LifeProof Fre at Lifeproof for $80 or at Amazon where it is available in 3 colors.
The iPhone 6 covered with LifeProof Fre compared to Galaxy S5 Active waterproof:
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Totally waterproof?
Really?
Yes, it’s great. You can take it up to 6.6 feet underwater. I wanna pick up the LifeProof nuud case though. I like the open screen and transparent back with that one. Hopefully LifeProof releases it soon.
That’s about what I can do with my Samsung S5, but I don’t need a case or adapters for my earphone.
The S5 active has a button that you can program to take photos underwater, in case you’re not able to use the touch screen ( such as if you wore diving gloves).
The S5 isn’t water proof. They do claim it to be “water resistant”, but there are a huge number of reports of it leaking and permanently damaging the phone. Warranty repair? Ha! Good luck with that. Again, Samsung’s actually warranty promises are weak.
BUT there is hope!
If you managed to get a galaxy for your 13th birthday, for heavens sake dunk it in water so Mom will buy you a decent phone.
The S5 is just another embarrassing moment for Samsung as they execute in a mediocre way in order to hope (and pray) that they can sell some smartphone product and hold onto their jobs.
No, ours failed in 3 feet of water after the first use and now we are out $250 for a new I-Phone
The you probably installed the case incorrectly. I’m on my 5th case installed on different devices, 3G, 4s, 5, iPad.. My wife has been snorkeling with her iPhone 4s and took shallow water photos using the vol button to snap the shots.
Lie, lie, lie….I had my “lifeproof” for just over a year…..evidently the life span is only about that long for the case, because it allowed water in and destroyed my i6, costing me a new phone, over $700. The battery is a nice deal, but don’t trust it’s waterproof claim……The problem is with the thumb button on the screen that is a cheap piece of plastic and will wear out over time with heat and uv……the product is not “lifeproof”……..
Where’s the 6 Plus version?!
There’s a video close-up of this LifeProof frē Case here: http://youtu.be/z-7VEth6rwA
The photo is a great endorsement of the Galaxy S5 active.
I mean, it doesn’t need am overpriced case. It has great resistance features built in.
According to the forums this Samsung feature often doesn’t work.
But that shouldn’t be surprising – it’s a Samsung – a has-been player in the smartphone market, known for making third-rate product.
Lots of people were dup’ed because Verizon and the other carriers make a pretty penny whenever the unload a Samsung.
All this is likely why Samsung’s sales are down something like 40% – people have wised up to their garbage and now look elsewhere.
Not shure what kind of problems do you have with Samsung products, specially smartphones?! They are in fact much more usefull than most other products, specially better to work than the iPhone. Without Samsung Apple would be really expensive crap…
I had bought their iPhone 5 Frē case (not the one for the 5s). The case was awesome, like really awesome… except for one thing. The audio from the bottom speaker was really muffled (I’m talking like equivalent to maximum 50% volume compared to no case) and if you brought the volume up at all, past like 25-30%, the back of the case would start to rattle and vibrate. It became such an issue that I returned it and got an OtterBox Defender. It would seem like a small issue for some, but it was a big deal for me because I’m always playing some sort of audio out of my phone. It was a sad day when I had to return it, because I absolutely loved everything else about it.
Hopefully they’ve solved that issue after the 2ish years of further development since that case was developed.
you can use the volume button to activate the shutter underwater ;-)
only misgivings i have about life proof cases are the often reported voice distortion when using phone/ face time. hopefully this has been addressed with this generation of cases…
I have experienced the same problem with the headphone and Lightning charging port being non-compatible with any manufacturer other than Apple’s equipment.
Does anyone know where to find headphones or Lightning car chargers that will fit the new case? I’m not even sure what key phrases to Google to see if anyone else manufactures plugs and cables that would fit.
I really like the case after using the 4s, I find the 6 case perfect for my needs.
Has anyone found a dock or adapter suitable for use with the case?
NONE OF THESE CASES ARE SHATTERPROOF! YOU DROP IT ON THE GROUND AND A LITTLE PEBBLE CAN SHATTER THE WHOE SCREEN! YOU WANT REAL PROTECTION?! YOU NEED SHATTERARMOR AT SHATTERARMOR.COM
IPHONEARMOR.COM
Ordered both the Fre and the Nuud for my iPhone 6. love the Fre for my iPhone 5s but don’t really like the plastic screen. Love the Nuud for my iPhone 6 except for the slightly diminished ring volume and raspy voice sound otherwise it is awesome.
Does anyone else have issues accessing the button that puts the iPhone 6 on vibrate?! I can access my volume buttons and lock button, but I cannot put it on Vibrate Only via the side button.