Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I had an iPhone 3G for two years before upgrading to the iPhone 4 a couple of weeks ago. I had the 3G wrapped in Bodyguardz's full body protector the whole time and it rocked. It added grip to the back without making it too grippy on the screen, protected from scratches, and it wasn't a bulky case.
Once I got my iPhone 4, I wanted to give my 3G to my little sister to use as an iPod touch. This is where the best feature of the Bodyguardz protector showed itself. Before I gave it to her, I removed the protectors from the front and back and the 3G looked brand spanking new. No scratches, no smudges, and no residue from the protector. It literally looked fresh out of the box, and that's no exaggeration.
I realize this isn't an iPhone 3G protector review, but this is an important feature of the Bodyguardz film. It protects the device and PRESERVES it as well, leaving no trace of its presence once removed even after being attached for 2 whole years. A HUGE plus. And seeing as how the iPhone 4 protector is made from the same material and uses the same adhesive, it will preserve your iPhone 4 for as long as you have it on.
Now, on to the iPhone 4 protector specifically.
Application:
It was pretty easy to put on, much easier than the 3G protector because it doesn't have the curved back side. I was also glad that they split up the pieces for the sides individually rather than having them all attached to the back protector, it made application even easier. The "squeegee" was good at getting out all of the air bubbles and most of the excess solution. Complete application took me about 30 minutes.
Function:
It protects very well from scratches, smudges, and other forms of cosmetic wear. And since it covers the great majority of the device, it protects better than almost all cases out there, especially the bumper that Apple put out for it since it leaves both faces exposed. It also adds a little grip, which is good because the phone itself is a little slippery. This isn't a phone you wanna drop on the pavement. However, it doesn't add so much grip that it inhibits finger sliding, flicking, and pinch zooming.
ALSO TO NOTE: This protector will NOT cure the antenna problem. Some people have reported that Apple's bumper cures the problem of losing reception when the lower left corner of the device is touched, but this film is not thick enough to do that. I tested it and I still go from 5 bars to 1 or 2 when the corner is covered.
Appearance:
For the first couple of days after application, you could see little patches of un-squeegee'd solution under the film. It sorta magnified the screen in those patches like little drops of water. This is normal, it's very minor, it isn't much of a nuisance, and it disappeared completely after about 2 days once it all dried. Not a big deal at all to me.
The appearance of the iPhone was mostly good. You couldn't even see it on there unless you looked really close. This is the main appeal of a protector like this. It prevents scratches and smudges and surface wear without a case. I personally don't like cases on devices like this because they add bulk, take away from the visual appeal of the device, and can sometimes damage the surface of the device by leaving scratches (hard cases) or residue (flexible cases), which not only makes the device visually unappealing, it can also take away resale value in the future.
I say the appearance is "mostly" good because the protector does one thing I really don't like...it collects stuff. Mostly lint. I keep my phone in my pocket, and almost immediately it started collecting fuzz around the edges of each piece of film. I suppose there must be a little bit of exposed adhesive around the edges and the lint sticks to it. It also tends to collect very small grains of things like sand, dirt, and debris particles. They indent themselves into the slightly flexible film and stick requiring the use of a fingernail to dislodge. It also shows some smudges and smears from finger tapping and flicking and pinching and such, more-so than the glass did. I had my phone without a film on it for the first week or so while waiting for the Bodyguardz protector to arrive and it looked great. Once I got the film on it, it started looking like a fuzzy, smudgy, debris covered, neglected phone.
This may not be much of a problem for you, and I wish it wasn't for me. But unfortunately, it was enough of a problem to me personally to make me take the film back off and go without it, which is why I give this product 3 stars.
Bodyguardz does a great job with their products. They protect very well and leave the device looking "naked" which is a big appeal to me. I don't really like giving them 3 stars for their protector, especially because I liked it so much on my 3G phone. But when a side-effect of the Bodyguardz film is enough motivation for me to remove it completely and go without it, I can't justify more than 3 stars. However, 1 or 2 stars would be a low-blow to the benefits and function of this product. It really does work great for what it's designed to do (protect) and still beats the pants off of any bumper or case in my opinion. Plus it comes with two full covers in case you ever need another one.
If you're not concerned about a little bit of fuzzy lint around the edges of your phone, then this is IMHO the best protection for your iPhone 4 and I recommend for you.
If a clean appearance is a concern for you like it is (regrettably) for me, then I can't recommend this and would recommend just leaving the phone the way it is. Scratching shouldn't be too much of a problem anyway since it's all glass and stainless steel on the outside (unlike the 3G which had plastic and was a scratch magnet).
Click Here to see more reviews about: BodyGuardZ Full-Body Protection Film for iPhone 4 (2 Pack)
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