X

The good, the great, and the gah of iPhone cases

A few of the wildest, weirdest iPhone cases that take your phone to the next level in fashion and functionality. Yep, that one has pepper spray.

James Martin Managing Editor, Photography
James Martin is the Managing Editor of Photography at CNET. His photos capture technology's impact on society - from the widening wealth gap in San Francisco, to the European refugee crisis and Rwanda's efforts to improve health care. From the technology pioneers of Google and Facebook, photographing Apple's Steve Jobs and Tim Cook, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Google's Sundar Pichai, to the most groundbreaking launches at Apple and NASA, his is a dream job for any documentary photography and journalist with a love for technology. Exhibited widely, syndicated and reprinted thousands of times over the years, James follows the people and places behind the technology changing our world, bringing their stories and ideas to life.
Expertise photojournalism, portrait photography, behind-the-scenes Credentials
  • 2021 Graphis Photography Awards, Gold Award, Journalism, 'The Doorway' Graphis Photography Awards, Silver Award, Portrait, 'Cast of film '1917'' Graphis Photography Awards, Silver Award, Environmental, 'Upper Lola Montez' ND Awards, Architecture, 'Taj Mah
James Martin
An iPhone case and pepper spray in one! Mace Case

Almost six years ago, Apple's iPhone hit the scene, introducing a whole new category of device and unlocking an almost endless stream of applications that put a multifunction computer right into our pockets.

Today, there are apps for just about everything -- banking, dating, gaming, monitoring health vitals, putting mustaches on pics of people and pets. Who knows what's next for smartphones? Today, there are literally tens of thousands of digital tools we can put inside our phones. Sometimes though, we need something a little more, well, tactile.

Enter the iPhone case, a place for many of the tools, attachments, and customizations that won't just fit into the phone. These cases take utility to the next level, making the phone functional -- or just more fashionable -- in a whole new way. Some of them are for self-defense, some are for drinking. Some are for watching movies, and some are just, well, you'll see...

Take a look at a few of our favorite choices for unique iPhone case designs in the gallery below.

They built THAT into an iPhone case? (pictures)

See all photos