Still obsessed with Pokémon Go? Of course you are. In that case, it makes sense to avoid any screen-smashing drops that would interrupt play. Thanks to case maker Catalyst, you can do just that while also making it easier to catch that elusive Pokemon. We caught up with Catalyst to see its hard-wearing case and the clever Poké-tool that integrates with it.
The tool is a stretchy, bumper-style piece of soft silicone that fits over the top and bottom of the Catalyst case, laying down a central track on the screen. The idea is, it gives your finger a perfect line for expert PokéBall throwing, increasing the chances of catching your target. We’ve seen a few 3D-printed and homemade cases like this in the past, but here’s one you can actually buy.
However, you can’t just buy the tool because it only works with the Catalyst case. You could do a lot worse than choosing the Catalyst to protect your phone. It’s tough, and meets military standards for drop protection. It’s also waterproof up to 5 meters in depth, and doesn’t take any nonsense from snow, dust, or sand.
The case comes in two parts: A main body shell, and a clip on, see-through rear panel. The fingerprint sensor has a membrane over the top so it still recognizes your touch and unlocks the phone — and the case remains watertight. It did take a few extra tries to unlock using TouchID than it did without the case on, but that seems like a small price to pay for such a high level of protection.
The camera lens on the back of the iPhone is covered with hard-coated optical glass to make sure it keeps the lens safe from harm without compromising picture quality. The mute switch on the iPhone’s side has been given a twist, literally, because it’s covered in a watch crown-like button that you turn to mute and unmute the phone. The case is easy to put on your phone. After the phone is placed inside the body, the rear cover clips into place, but the downside is the whole thing adds an extra 63 grams of weight.
The price for the combined Pokemon Go game improvement and phone protection? It’s $70 for the iPhone 6S case or $75 for the iPhone 6S Plus model, plus another $10 for the Pokemon Go game tool. Head over to Catalyst’s website to order one.