Some iPhone 4 Cases Won’t Fit the iPhone 4S

iPhone 4 (bottom) vs iPhone 4S (top). Image via Gizmodo.

For anyone shopping for a case for the new iPhone 4S, one thing to keep in mind is that it may not be compatible with older iPhone 4 cases. The new iPhone 4S matches up with the Verizon iPhone 4 in terms of the location of the volume buttons and ringer switch, but it doesn’t match the button placement of the original AT&T iPhone 4. So buyers should be careful in selecting a case.

When compared side-by-side, the ringer switch of the 4S is about a millimeter lower than the AT&T iPhone 4, and the volumes buttons are slightly lower as well.

iPhone 4S (left), iPhone 4 (middle), and CDMA iPhone 4 (right), via AppVV

Shoppers looking for a 4S-compatible case should either look for language that says its compatible with the Verizon CDMA iPhone, or just take note that the case provides leeway for the positioning of the iPhone’s volume and ringer switch buttons; in other words, the case should have a large cutout area for the ringer switch and volume buttons. Check out the ZeroChroma Teatro as an example. This is the case I use when I’m not reviewing other cases.

You can also check out our Top Verizon iPhone 4 cases page as a starter guide.

iPhone 4S left, iPhone 4 (GSM) middle, iPhone 4 (CDMA) right

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