I broke my caseless Pixel but refuse to learn my lesson

I recently broke my Pixel 7. In a span of just a few weeks, I managed to drop it three times, shattering the display to the point it doesn’t even turn on anymore. The final drop was the most damaging: my caseless Pixel plummeted from my pocket straight down onto concrete. Game over.

What’s ironic is that back in December, I wrote a post about how I’ve never actually used a proper case but never damaged any of my phones even remotely. I guess I jinxed it, and now it’s time to dig deep into my wallet and buy a new device.

You’d probably think I’ve learned my lesson and will now start using a case, just like the majority of smartphone users, but you’d be wrong. While I wish I hadn’t dropped my phone and could still use it, I have no regrets whatsoever. My caseless philosophy is here to stay, and a broken screen won’t convince me otherwise.

I feel like the odds are on my side. I bought my first mobile phone 26 years ago and my first smartphone 15 years ago, and this is the first time I’ve managed to seriously damage one. While I have dropped a few over the years, the drops were minor, with every device coming out of the situation with a small scratch or two at most.

I’m generally very careful with all my devices, but I had a rough few weeks and just didn’t pay enough attention, handling my phone with a lot less care than I’m used to.

Lesson learned. I won’t make that mistake twice. Considering I’ve been going caseless for well over a decade and this is my first broken screen, I feel like the chances of that happening again anytime soon are minimal. So yeah, I’m going caseless with my next phone, without question.

Anyway, a case isn’t bulletproof protection for a phone. It can still get damaged in a drop, especially when dropped face down on a rock, the edge of a table, or something similar. Not the most common scenario, but hey, anything is possible.

Also, it’s not like I broke a brand-new phone. My Pixel 7 is roughly three years old by now, and you know how it is — you never take care of an old device quite the same as a new one. Given its age, it was time for an upgrade anyway, so the shattered screen is less of a worry for me.

No, and I’ll tell you why. There are a few things that bother me about cases. The first is that the phones I buy and use are generally more premium, featuring things like a metal frame and a glass back. My Pixel 7, for example, felt great in the hand. The metal could get a bit cold to the touch at times, while the silky-smooth glass back gave a premium feel. These components cost money and are there to be appreciated, so I don’t want to slap a cheap plastic case on the phone.

A case also hides the gorgeous design of a phone. I always found it strange how people talk about phone colors so much and ponder which one to go for, only to cover it up with a generic case. Not me. A good-looking phone is like a piece of art to me — I enjoy looking at it.

Then there’s the bulk. Even a thin case adds a bit of bulk to a device, and these things are too big anyway, so I don’t want to make them bigger.

However, the Pixel 9 is currently on sale and is within my budget as well, so I just may get that one. I prefer its design with its glass back, and it has a better camera system.

However, I used to be a OnePlus fan, so something like the OnePlus 13R also looks enticing, especially because of the super-fast charging that I’ve always enjoyed. But it’s a big phone overall — too big for my taste — and it generally offers less than the Pixel 9 for my personal wants and needs.

Additionally, I also looked at the Galaxy S25, but it’s still a bit outside my budget at the moment. The Pixel 9 it is, then. Without a case, of course.

Is there a chance I may swallow my words and start using a case like most other people? Unlikely, but possible. If I somehow manage to break or severely damage the new phone that’s coming my way soon, I may reconsider my life choices.

Breaking a three-year-old phone I wanted to replace anyway is one thing, but breaking a brand-new one in just a few months is another. I’m confident in my abilities to keep it safe from bumps and bruises, but if that turns out not to be true and an accident happens, I’ll likely have to admit defeat and buy a case.

I don’t think that’s going to happen, though. Wish me luck.

What about you — have you broken a caseless phone before, or are you less clumsy than I am? Let me know in the comments.