Easily Navigate Your Large Smartphone With One Hand – The 3D Printed ‘Greatest Case’

I used to assume that the phrase “It’s been done” applied to practically everything. But then I saw the YouTube video (check it out at the bottom of this page) for “the greatest case,” and I realized there was something that hadn’t been done until now. A smartphone case that allows you to grip the back of the phone (think about large phones for a second, here) while using it? Genius!

A “grippable” smartphone case may now be the new normal once people realize that a Denver man has designed a reasonable solution to the already old problem of dropping a smartphone while using it. We like our large phones and are not likely to give them up any time soon, but we’ve all about had it with them slipping away from our hand the moment we begin to use them.

According to Kyle Staebell of the greatest case, the case idea came “by experimenting with ways to make the thumb reach further, because even with large hands its hard to even reach the whole screen on some of these big phones.” Now, you have the chance to get in on an idea whose time has come.

The greatest case has launched its Kickstarter campaign to bring the purchasing public an amazingly simple, 3D printed smartphone case designed to avoid the problem inherent in using it: dropping it while holding it. Designed for iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, Galaxy Note 4, and Nexus 6 out of a copper plastic blend, the case is still really metallic, but has a little flexibility. The cases are available in either craft copper ($39) or black ($29) colors, and they are 3D printed. In fact, in an email to 3DPrint.com, Kyle Staebell insists that these cases simply wouldn’t be possible without 3D printing. He writes:

“Although 3d printing is slower than say compression molding or injection molding, it really does provide an opportunity for young creative people to do things like this. We did not have to find some rich guy to invest in this project so we could source production to China or anything. 3d printing made it so we could go from basically nothing to at least a cool case, and hopefully more. Before 3d printing — this wouldn’t have been possible.”

Designed in CAD by Denver, Colorado-based PHYSI3D, a company that has several 3D printers and will be printing the cases, there is much anticipation for the user-friendly case that may exceed initial expectations. When most people who thought they would never solve their large smartphone holding problem see this simple solution, they will perhaps have the same “A-ha!” moment that I had when I first saw this. “I need one of those cases, immediately!” is the likely reaction of many smartphone users.

And yes, Staebell concurs that it does take longer to 3D print cases, but because 3D printing allows them to do a copper case with plastic — it is worth it. 3D printers can render a metal material that is still flexible. Works for me, and this will probably also work for many other large smartphone users out there!

Is this a case that would help you out with your large smartphone? Let us know if you like the design or will be backing The Greatest Case forum thread over at 3DPB.com.