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Kyle Staebell
Although initially subject to some mockery when first introduced, the larger-sized phone — 5.5 inches and above — is now par for the course. For better or for worse, big screens are here to stay.
They do have their benefits — they wouldn’t have caught on if they didn’t — but they also bring their own issues. It’s simply not as easy to cradle a large phone in one hand while using the thumb to navigate the touchscreen as it is with smaller models.
This is where Kyle Staebell’s new case comes in. Calling it the Greatest Case, he’s currently seeking funding on Kickstarter.
“This began when I first got my hands on a giant screen phone. Surprisingly, I learned that I was unable to reach the whole screen with one thumb…I learned to adapt by constantly shifting my grip to touch other parts of the screen, but this got old pretty fast. So the goal was always to enable the thumb to reach further, it was just a question of how to do it, and how to do it right,” he explained.
“It became clear that if the phone was held along a grip on the back of the phone, it gave the thumb more freedom to stretch further on the screen. This is because when the phone is held along the grip, there is less of the phone’s hardware in the palm of the hand getting in the way of the thumb being able to reach.”
Kyle Staebell
The case itself is simple: a frame that wraps around a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 or an iPhone 6 Plus, with struts that run down the back of the phone. These provide a grip for the user’s fingers, allowing a firm and stable hold on the phone, while also allowing maximum reach for the thumb for navigating the screen.
The cases are available in two materials, both 3D-printed — one in black plastic and another in copper, which uses a blend of copper and plastic for both strength and flexibility.
“I found out through a friend that it was now possible to make the case out of 3d printed copper. It has just enough plastic in the blend to be flexible, but just enough copper so that it is clearly a metallic case. It really goes together quite nicely on these phones,” Staebell said.
It’s such a beautifully simple solution, it’s a wonder no phone integrates something similar into its design — but, as Staebell said, while the Greatest Case prevents you from dropping the phone by providing a better grip, it’s also protection in case you drop it anyway.
“The majority of broken screens occur because the phone hits one of the corners and shatters it. There are a whole line of cases now that are designed to just protect the corners,” he said. “So since our case also protects the corners and back, it will provide the same amount of security against shattered screens. If the user also used a screen protector with this case, then they would have total protection.”
The case is currently being offered as a reward for a pledge of $29 for the black version and $39 for the copper version. Head on over to the Kickstarter page to pledge your support.
