The LifeProof iPod touch 4G case is a case made by LifeProof that is designed to be protected from all sorts of dangers, from shock to water. This case, like LifeProofs many other cases, will keep your device life-proof, no matter what life throws at it. Let’s see if it’s the iPod touch case for you.
Form
The iPod touch case made by LifeProof, unlike their iPhone cases, are not made in several colors, it is made in one black color. The case consists of three parts. The first is the front plate. This front plate black and includes a screen protector. The case does however have protected holes for the camera and microphone. The second part is the clear backing that seals the iPod inside. The entire backing is clear, allowing you to see the Apple logo and the iPod name on the back, which I think is pretty cool, I am a fan of see-through things. Again, the camera and microphone are protected but still usable. These two pieces snap together like two puzzle pieces and they stay together until the enough force is used to rip them apart. They will not open unless you open it with your hands. The third and final part is a small headphone jack protector that screws in. I have made it clear in the past that I do not like port protectors unless they are attached to the case. This one isn’t however, there is a pouch thing that fits on your headphones that you can put it on, which I think is a good idea. One concern I have pertaining to the color of the case is that it is only available in black. Therefore, if you’re the owner of a white iPod touch like me, you will now have a mostly black case with some white popping up around the holes, which to me looks a bit tacky. I am a fan of the color black, especially the very dark variants of it, so the dark color was not a bad choice if you have a black iPod touch, but it looks awkward with white iPod touches. The clear part on the back, like I said, looks really cool. The case is really well made and it will protect against falls of any kind, into anything. The case does make the iPod touch feel a bit wider and taller but that is to expected from any case. The case adds very little width to the iPod, which is good since the iPod touch 4G is acclaimed for being so thin. The screen protector is something that I see as flawless. I have gone through many store bought stand alone screen protectors and they were are to put on and they looks bad. The one on this case is as easy as putting the case on since it is attached to the case. Overall, despite the color mixmatch on the white iPod touches, the case does a good job in it’s form.
Function
Now on to the part you probably should care about more, at least in this product; and more specifically the question you want answered. Will this case truly protect my device from anything? The answer is yes. I have dropped my iPod with this case on with no damage to the iPod or case. I have water tested the case several times, each time showing not a drop of water seeping through. The LifeProof cases, in general, have a very good track record and have saved many devices, including my very own iPhone from destruction via water. The case has been taken into dirty areas, with again, not a single speck of dirt seeping through. I can guarantee that if you have this case on as soon as you get your iPod touch, a year later it will look exactly like it did when you first got it. The case not only protects your device, it preserves it as well, increasing the value of it down the road whenever you choose to sell your device, if you do. The case will protect against everything, falls, water, dirt, mud, snow etc. And now that you can use your device in these conditions, you won’t be afraid of using your device in these conditions. Dare to take pictures in rain or snow, or have your device in your pocket when you go in the mud. Your phone will survive a flood should you be unfortunate to be in one (prayers to Colorado). A side note, the volume buttons are now much easier to get to with the case on. Also, in case you are dying to have the iPod touch loop on your 4G iPod touch, this case does have a wrist strap, so now your iPod is even more attached to your hand. The case does an excellent job in protecting your iPod. There are a few downsides to it though. First, the case reduces the speaker volume. It also reduces the ability of the microphone to pick up sound significantly and the case has to be taken off for a FaceTime call. Second, the user has to use an adapter in order to use headphones and keep the device in the case. Third and finally, you can not put your iPod on a dock unless you purchase a separate $29.99 adapter from LifeProof. However, you can still plug in your iDevice with a cord and charge it that way. Overall, the functionality of the case is mostly positive but there are some concerns to be raised.
Conclusion
Pros
-Good design, well made
-Protects iPod from anything
-Smaller features (ability to hit volume buttons better and wrist strap)
Cons
-Needs more colors
-Reduced volume in speaker and reduced ability to pick up sound
-Expensive Adapter needed in order to put your iPod on a dock
-Adapter needed to use headphones without taking the case off
Ways to improve
First, I think that the price tag of the adapter should be dropped. There is no reason why it should cost anything if having the adapter is something that would prevent people complaining of something that is a necessity. Also, if the company is to continue making iPod touch 4 cases, I would recommend offering white colors as well. I do see that the iPod touch 5G cases do have all sorts of colors, definitely better than the offerings of the iPod touch 4G cases. The adapter can get lost, so I would recommend to the company that they build in a backup inside the case, or some sort of slot where the adapter can go on the case itself.
In the past several months, I have seen the LifeProof brand mature into one of the most successful cases in the world. I have began to notice that more and more people have LifeProof cases. It is becoming a well-known and well-respected brand. Therefore I am sure that LifeProof is thankful that they are moving on from the fourth gen iPod touch because compared to their other cases, this is certainly not their best. This case gets 3 stars from me.
Thanks for reading,
Joe