Is it finally safe to ditch your phone case? I put it to the test

With smartphones tougher than ever, a new wave of phone minimalists say cases are for cowards. I joined the case-free cult, called the experts and braced for the sound of broken glass.

A few months ago I walked into an Apple store to buy a new iPhone. After sifting through models and upgrades, a cheerful salesperson told me the price came to $1,199 (£919). She laughed when I mentioned that’s close to what I pay for a month’s rent. “Crazy, isn’t it?” she said. “Now let’s look at some phone cases.”

It felt like the obvious next step. But even as the cost of cell phones breaches the stratosphere, some seemingly reasonable consumers going a different route: they’re walking around with their phones completely naked, moving through the concrete and…