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I am a week from having the cash to pick up an N1. I know there have been a lot of threads about cases, but I wanted to outline some of my thoughts and get opinions before I make my purchase. In addition, it is a little scary to hear reports of the phone getting broken easily: truth or not.
My problem is that I am a pocket phone holder. I do not wear belts often and when I do I am loaded with badges and other junk. Although I could hostler it, I already feel like batman without the fancy costume, and when I am not at work the hostler would not be an option.
So my plan is:
1. Get one of the plastic skins. My first choice is Clear Coat (new user so I cannot provide link). Most of these products appear to be the same, and although Clear Coat skins appear to have gaps and not fit as well as other brands, they have an installation guarantee. This is mainly to help the screen, but I will get full body to avoid scratches elsewhere.
2. Get a thin Silicon Gel Case. My theory is the gel will assist with gripping the device and absorb the shock from falls should they happen. This should also assist the clear coat skin against scratches to the body.
3. Get some sort of hard case to slip it into when I put it in my pocket. Since I normally carry my phone there, I am worried about the mysterious screen crackings which could be related to stress applied to the device when you sit and such. Hopefully a hard case will protect against this.
So, this is probably a little overkill, but am I completely insane?
My current phone is the T-mobile Shadow, which is a very cheap HTC phone with a plastic screen. I have had it for almost 2 years and have kept it in pretty good condition. I have 1 ding from accidentally placing it in the same pocket as my keys, and some major scratches when I had the genus idea of putting it in a ziplock bag when I went to Seaworld (well it did stay dry).
This is the most expensive phone I will have ever owned with only an very old world PDA being the most expensive mobile device. My wife is not exactly happy with me for spending this kind of money, and just seeing phones for calling people. As such, I am trying to make sure she cannot point a finger at a precaution I did not take: in addition to my own paranoia from reading the "I am having problems" forum on Google's site.
So, from the view point of people who have had other devices like this, am I being too worried or do these sound like reasonable precautions for this kind of device?
The information on these forums have been wonderful. Thanks for all the help!
I'm not sure what skin the last poster has used that yellowed, but I've used InvisibleSHIELD and Clear Protector, and they were still crystal clear after almost a year.
fujitsupalm said:
just gonna add one more here which is my favourite off all time, leather cases..
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I have looked at these, but did not see this one. How stiff is the case? The leather looks pliable, and I want to prevent any bending of the phone.
I was looking at the flip open ones, but those seem too bulky. Also many of the pictures of these seem to have the phone photoshopped in, which makes me nervious. Hate the white thread too, but I could deal with that.
As for the invisible shield skins, did you have them actually tint the phone, or just - when applied - appear to be yellow? I have seen many reviews of these even over months of time and never heard this mentioned. Although I would be nervous about it permanently tinting the phone, if it just appears yellow when on then its worth a try since they can be removed. I know they are a pain to install, but I hate static protectors and really want something on the screen.
Thanks, fujitsupalm.
I saw your post in another thread. I think I might be leaning toward the flip on you posted pics of. How bulky is that? Does it interfer with the use of the screen?
I will probably get the flip or book version (wish it would let me post links), and get an invisible shield for the screen. It is humid here too, so I might have the same issue. However, if I can just remove it then its worth a shot.
Hi everyone,
Post #1!
Some background info about me... I own a company that produces various software and hardware products for the diving industry (dive data trackers, underwater photography optics, marine life ID guides, etc.). As a result, over the years, we have acquired CNC machines and high-resolution 3D printing machines capable of making just about anything we can think of.
Recently, I picked up a Skyrocket (coming from an iPhone... wow, what a difference!), and an Otterbox Defender case for it. The case is robust, but is "just" a case... nothing more. So, over the past week, I drew up some 3D designs for my own case (similar to the Otterbox Defender), and produced it. The case consists of a 2-piece hard shell, screen protector, and a tough/grippy polyurethane rubber sleeve that protects the phone within the hard shell. The rubber sleeve that I made (via custom mold) is black, but I can make them any colour of the rainbow.
The dimensions and general vibe are basically the same as the Otterbox, so I thought to myself "where's the fun in this"? Duplicating designs is simple, but I want to take it to the next level. Here are some of the features that I am toying with:
-The capability to accept a 3800-3900mah extended battery, while still offering the protection of an Otterbox Defender (just ordered a few of these batteries, and will make a design immediately for them, since I'm pretty sure no one else has one on the market)
-A kickstand
-A slot for a credit card, bus pass, work ID, drivers license, or whatever
-A bottle opener
-A slide-out standard USB stick
-A magnifier which swivels over the camera to give better macro photography capability
OK, so some of these features might be a little useless, but I'm trying to come up with the ultimate case.
Attached are renders of the current design (the hard shell only, excluding the polyurethane rubber outer sleeve).
What would make a case ideal for you? Suggestions?
Thanks!
Keri Wilk
ReefNet.ca
Make it waterproof so I can take underwater HD videos while fishing
Wow! A slot for credit cards and ID is such a great idea! Perhaps taking measures to make sure that it's sand-proofed too. Then it would make a great case for taking to the beach or whatever. You have the potential to make alot of money off of this...hahaha.
Make a horizontal belt one that will fit the skyrocket with a siedo active case on it and you will have the market cornered. Even the ones that are out there now and claim to be the right size are not! A silk-like material lining the inside for better protection and extraction would help. Put a strong fastener on it (so it won't open until you want it to) and a finger hole in the botom (again to help with extraction) and it will be good.
ReefNet said:
-The capability to accept a 3800-3900mah extended battery, while still offering the protection of an Otterbox Defender (just ordered a few of these batteries, and will make a design immediately for them, since I'm pretty sure no one else has one on the market)
-A kickstand
-A slide-out standard USB stick
-A magnifier which swivels over the camera to give better macro photography capability
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Produce these and I'm SURE your case will make some bank. Possibly even make different versions to target different groups too? Like, maybe not EVERYONE wants the bottle opener, or maybe not the magnifying glass. Idk. Just thinking some marketing.
Nice.
But I think you should keep it simple. A bulky case isn't necessarily a good case.
I like the idea of a kickstand and a USB stick, though. You know what would be cool? Make the case attach to the usb port and link the usb stick to the phone.
I would like something that you snap onto the a gps suction cup mount that had a flat piece that would just slide into the back of this phone. All you would have to do is slide it on. As long as the grip on the mount was firm enough you could move turn it on its side.
Case and car mount would be a big plus for me. I dont want to buy a cheap car mount or a car dock that I have to take my case off just to it.
iandr0idos said:
Nice.
But I think you should keep it simple. A bulky case isn't necessarily a good case.
I like the idea of a kickstand and a USB stick, though. You know what would be cool? Make the case attach to the usb port and link the usb stick to the phone.
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i agree...something thin but sturdy, a kickstand is great. A magnifying glass would be awesome, for the usb, totally useless since the phone is already a thumbdrive. i would love a case that doesnt make my phone 2x thicker but still gives my drop protection. but the best feature would be a matching dock that would allow me to be connected to my power source and habe an extra jack to have a connection to my laptop...a little like the evo docks for gs2 i9100
scott14719 said:
Make a horizontal belt one that will fit the skyrocket with a siedo active case on it and you will have the market cornered.
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I can definitely design a proper belt holder for the Seidio Active Cases, but is there even a market for them??
iandr0idos said:
Nice.
But I think you should keep it simple. A bulky case isn't necessarily a good case.
I like the idea of a kickstand and a USB stick, though. You know what would be cool? Make the case attach to the usb port and link the usb stick to the phone.
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I agree that bulky cases are not the most popular, but the problem is that the small one-piece injection molded cases cost pennies to make when produced in the quantities that they are. so they can be sold for just a few dollars.
The manufacturing process that I'm using not meant for MASS production (my machines can produce around 5-10 cases this size per day), but is capable of producing things that is impossible by injection molding. I feel like the "skimpy" case market has already been saturated.
occupational_hazard said:
I would like something that you snap onto the a gps suction cup mount that had a flat piece that would just slide into the back of this phone. All you would have to do is slide it on. As long as the grip on the mount was firm enough you could move turn it on its side.
Case and car mount would be a big plus for me. I dont want to buy a cheap car mount or a car dock that I have to take my case off just to it.
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Excellent suggestion! Thanks!
polish_pat said:
i agree...something thin but sturdy, a kickstand is great. A magnifying glass would be awesome, for the usb, totally useless since the phone is already a thumbdrive. i would love a case that doesnt make my phone 2x thicker but still gives my drop protection. but the best feature would be a matching dock that would allow me to be connected to my power source and habe an extra jack to have a connection to my laptop...a little like the evo docks for gs2 i9100
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Don't you need a micro-usb/standard usb cable in order to use the phone as a thumbdrive? The idea would be that if you're away from home, you'll always have a universal usb stick with you to toss data onto. Then when you get home and have your cable handy, you can transfer the info to the phone/PC.
As for the dock with a splitter - have you seen the MHL adapters that are available? This cable does basically exactly what you're asking already - it is a micro-usb to HDMI cable, which has a second micro usb slot for connecting the phone's power source. Or am I missing your point? Here's a link to what I'm talking about:
[DOUBLE-U DOUBLE-U DOUBLE-U DOT] tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1499515&CatId=5773
[I can't post links yet since I'm a new user... hopefully you can figure out the link above. Or just do a search for "MHL Adapter Samsung" and you should find several of them available]
Uncle Irish said:
Make it waterproof so I can take underwater HD videos while fishing
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Aside from being a mechanical engineer, I'm actually an underwater photographer/videographer, so trust me, I'd LOVE to do this (and might just make one for myself...). But waterproofing a case would add a fair amount of bulk, and would require o-rings... not to mention that the plastic that I'm using is partially porous, so would let water diffuse through it eventually anyway. Thanks for the suggestion though!
This is all good stuff folks - keep the ideas coming!
Keri
Are you just planning on designing one case or do you plan to offer options.
The Lifecase for the iphone is a waterproof case. It's very thin and ads little to no extra bulk. It's actually thinner than most of the snap together hard cases on the market. It added about the thickness of a nickle to the overall bulk of the phone. Sitting next to an iphone in an otterbox, the waterproof case looked like an actual phone while the otterbox looked like a small black rubber brick.
This case would surely be the ultimate, I must admit!
I know that some people like those kind of cases, but I don't, I like the feel of the phone. I can't stand bulk, I wish more bumper-type cases were made.
I know this has really nothing to do with this phone but would you be willing to make cases for other phones. I'd be really interested if you'd be able to make one for my dhd .
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using xda premium
hey, def exactly looking for what you are making!
however the question for you is this:
what kind of cnc/manufacturing process would you use. The reason i ask is because a great sturdy case with the features you want would need to use different types of material (hard plastic and rubber mainly) fused together. as far as i am aware common cnc machines can only carve out of a single piece/material and then perhaps you can manually put it together...
this manufacturing works great if you want a case entirely made out of hard plastic but i tend to argue that a good protective and grippy case needs a combination of several soft and hard materials.
for example:
the inside would preferable be a hard rubber for shock absorption and grip to the unit itself. Same materials could be used for the edges.
The credit card holder would need ideally one side grippy the other sidy hard/smooth plastic so you can easily slide out the cards but they dont fall out by themselves (my speck iphone 4 case is an excellent example!
i have tried skinnier credit card cases for my iphone 4 but after prolonged use the clip that is supposed to keep the cards in looses its "push" and the cards will start to fall out. (this could be easily fixed by using better polycarbonate materials but would probably quadruple the price.
One of the biggest problems i face personally is the fact that when using a good skin there are no compatible docks yet.
i had the following combo on my iphone 4 and absolutely loved it with the only downside that i had to dremel out some of the case's bottom side to make it fit my car mout and iphone alarm clock.
Speck Products CandyShell Card Case
Magellan Premium Car Kit
Personally i would be willing to pay north of the $100 mark for a good combo like this and i am sure there many people wanting the same thing. given that this is a fairly new product there is still money to be made. my cad/catia experience is limited but maybe ill draw something up and see if you can manufacture it as a prototype.
gl phil
Cad file for case
Hello OP! I was wondering if you ever built a cad model of your case. We have a 3d printer at out facility too and I would love to try out your case design if you don't mind sharing it. I would of course be willing to pay what you see fit. Thanks!
UI would be fibbing if I said I am not totally interested. I would really like an otterbox style commuter case that has a kickstand, a card holder (I would stick my rfid bus pass in it). The rest sounds interesting but I am not sure I would want to add a lot of bulk.
I cannot wait to you a sales link and some good pictures of the final product.
Oh, dear. Kudos on the first case; it looks awesome. I've had my skyrocket for about a month or so now and I can not find a case that I like. The kickstand and credit card holder on the same case would make me pay $50-$100 for it. The only thing I would be worried about is my phone getting scratched up on the inside of the hard case, you should try adding in some sort of material like otter boxes have on the inside. And will you post a couple pics of how it looks on your phone with the outside rubber shell on it so we can get a feel of how it looks on your phone. Thanks and good luck bro.
I would be extremely interested in a case that fit my seidio extended battery with a kickstand and a place to put credit cards I would pay 50-100
TAPD on my Skyrocket using 2.0 beta
I think you design a case for people who still want a really thin phone but with like scratch protection like as thin as possible
Hi all,
Was wondering if there are any decent cases I can get for my N4. It's getting a lot more difficult to get a case now, I've got a plain TPU one but I'd love to store some cards and maybe a bit of money with my phone.
Does anyone know where I can get a Nexus 4 Fancy Diary case in Navy/Lime? I found one in Pink and frankly that's not really my colour haha. Plus all the other wallet style cases are really ugly (I searched eBay). Fancy Diary case looks like this.
Alternatively I wouldn't mind a case with some card slots in the back. Does anyone know if this affects NFC capability? I would put one card in my TPU case, but I hear that it always sets off the NFC chip. I use Beam semi-frequently (~once a week). Examples of the card slot case are: this one, another one and this one. I don't mind the extra bulk if it means I don't have to carry my wallet with me all the time! I particularly like the look of that third one, although I'm not sure how stable it is with keeping the partition closed.
I'm based in Australia, so online retailers will have to ship here!
Thanks all.
Quolli said:
Hi all,
Was wondering if there are any decent cases I can get for my N4. It's getting a lot more difficult to get a case now, I've got a plain TPU one but I'd love to store some cards and maybe a bit of money with my phone.
Does anyone know where I can get a Nexus 4 Fancy Diary case in Navy/Lime? I found one in Pink and frankly that's not really my colour haha. Plus all the other wallet style cases are really ugly (I searched eBay). Fancy Diary case looks like this.
Alternatively I wouldn't mind a case with some card slots in the back. Does anyone know if this affects NFC capability? I would put one card in my TPU case, but I hear that it always sets off the NFC chip. I use Beam semi-frequently (~once a week). Examples of the card slot case are: this one, another one and this one. I don't mind the extra bulk if it means I don't have to carry my wallet with me all the time! I particularly like the look of that third one, although I'm not sure how stable it is with keeping the partition closed.
I'm based in Australia, so online retailers will have to ship here!
Thanks all.
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I was looking for the same thing as well. There is this if you are ready to spend $30: http://www.shapeways.com/model/914960/nexus-4-credit-card-case.html
To me, I took the inspiration from CardNinja and decided to DIY and the end result looks like attachment.
It's part from my failing Poetic case, I retained the hard case and cut out the pouch. Super glue it and voila.
The hole you see at the bottom left is no accident. I cut it out for back speaker only for credit cards to block it...
Sadly, I don't think it's going to last very long. But while it works I can report that it feels immensely better than having to flip open the Poetic cover for every usage. The portability is excellent and the phone gets protected.
I have to concede that this is one of the advantages of iPhone. Nexus 5 doesn't have a case like we want either.
...Why don't they make them? Okay, so I'm not the guy who wants the super-skinny barely-there case. Oh, no give me full-on protection, 360 please! I have small children, a full-time job, am a heavy Ingress player, and often juggle many items within my arms/hands as I walk down the street. I NEED protection. That being said, I've looked at cases til I'm blue in the face. I cannot find what I seek...which is a case with a lid! Not a holster clip, not a folio flippie thing, an honest-to-goodness LID that I can slide or clip on when I'm precariously bumbling down the street with my hands full of stuff. I'd settle for a holster cover type case if I could remove the clip part (and if it didn't cost an arm & a leg.)
My Note 8 and my kids' Tab 3s all have covers with lids. Why can't my Note 4 have one, too?
I'm coming from a Note II and have used flip style, first horizontal, then vertical (which I hate). In fact I'm still USING my Note II because I'm paranoid about activating my Note 4 til I have a proper case and feel comfortable taking it out of the house.
With all the screen territory it just seems so....vulnerable. Dropping a piece of buttered toast will ALWAYS render for me butter side down, and I fear the same will be true for screen-down drops. It's just my rotten luck.
Has anyone ever had the same idea? A case with a lid? Any suggestions to throw my "paranoid" way? :laugh:
I'm looking for exactly the same thing as you. I work in construction and I want something heavy duty. (I don't like otter boxes)
This is the sort of thing I'm looking for:
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Circle-Flip-...Cell_Phone_PDA_Cases&var=&hash=item4adad7ce80
Window or no window, I don't care. I saw this case in my local Chinese mall and they said check back in a few weeks and they should have it for the Note 4. However, I emailed this guy on ebay and he said he wouldn't be getting one.
For now I'm using a neoprene sleeve, which I've been using for years, but I yearn again for a clip-able case like this, which I used on my old palm phones for years.
Wow that's killer! That's what I'm talking about, too.....basically. Agreed, don't need the window, necessarily. Looks a little cheaply made, too (as far as not a lot of cushioning) but yeah, definitely on the right track! Closest I've seen to the concept.
Even better would be this.. if only they made it for the note 4. I emailed the company and posted on facebook about it. No reply
http://www.spigen.com/galaxy-note-3-case-slim-armor-view.html
That looks pretty good!
Okay, the closest I can find is the Seidio cases, which have a removable clip holster. I think that will get me the closest to my "lid" though I'd rather have a Verus Thor or UAG. Unfortunately, they don't come with holsters/"lids". I'm looking specifically at the CAPSA because it has a built-in screen cover, like an Otterbox. Unfortunately, it is unavailable yet as per their website. Boooooo.
I have similar needs. The idea case for me would be a combination of a case that provides edge and back protection with the samsung folio "case". Full 360 degree protection.
Spigen replied to me. They said they are working on one like I posted for the note 3
Sweet! Please keep us updated.
Here's something rather interesting:
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Armor-Luxury...Cell_Phone_PDA_Cases&var=&hash=item1c48e910b9
A bit on the ugly side. I can deal with that, but I'd be really worried about it ruining signal strength.
Same looking one, but apparently in steel from Hong Kong
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Iron-man-Sta...Cell_Phone_PDA_Cases&var=&hash=item58b827a5e1
Wow that's some case! I like it! It's very, very different. I'm wondering if it's cushioned inside, for impact shock absorption.
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. This post will likely end up long and meandering so here are some pictures to help you decide if you are interested in reading on.
Gallery: https://postimg.cc/gallery/3jjlabcpm/
Those that have come across my waffle in this forum or elsewhere before will know that I was (and am) a total convert to ruggedized handsets. I work as a forester, as well as being a keen mountain biker, motorbike rider, kayaker and alcoholic.
To those ends, the S7 Active was the best device I've ever owned by a huge margin. The things that it survived with zero added protection beyond a glass screen protector were out of this world. It is still in daily use in my family. The battery has seen better days but overall the physical condition and functionality of the phone are near perfect.
Why on earth would I trade that device for one constructed almost entirely from glass? Well, I'm not sure. I still have massive reservations about the decision but at the end of the day: no mainstream manufacturer is currently producing a top-tier ruggedized device, and I wanted an unlocked bootloader and glorious custom roms back in my life which ruled out a couple of slightly older options.
I almost went with the AGM X3 but the lack of OIS in the camera, and the unknown quality of manufacture made the now obscene price tag just a little bit too much of a gamble.
Anyway: once the Note 9 arrived I realised just how fragile this thing was. I was filled with regret to the point that I actually considered just putting it on ebay; so sure was I that it would be smashed to pieces in a matter of days.
After installing Dr Ketan's rom, I changed my tune. I committed myself to finding a functional protection solution that would work for me without interrupting wireless charging and without turning it into a brick (it is heavy enough as it comes!).
My office is presently littered with poor purchase decisions; cases that promised the world and delivered a ham sandwich.
I also struggled because there was only 1 case that would match up with the relatively expensive handlebar mounts I already have on all my gear, but that case did not quite meet my requirements on a few fronts.
I tried to find the largest genuine leather wallet case that I could find, with initial plans to simply swap cases to my quadlock case when I wanted to go out for a ride. Unfortunately, I found that the quad lock case was so god damn well-constructed that the mere act of inserting and removing the phone felt like I was eventually going to do some damage. This is not your everyday sleeve case! it is constructed from some sort of hybrid, rubberised material with a massive amount of retained stiffness. It is absolutely tough as nails and has very little flex once the phone is inserted....it is an absolute nightmare to remove once it is on there, which is fantastic to give you a bit of peace of mind once you hit 200km/h!
It also has a little bit of screen protection due to the large protrusions top and bottom which mean that the screen does not contact the surface you lay it on face down. Still, no face protection.
I have no wish to join the legion of people walking around with a cracked screen, and the curved screens that samsung insist on using are well prone to easy breakage...I needed more coverage!
I ordered a hand made 2-part, magnetic, genuine leather BEMFEY wallet case from Turkey. It was not cheap, but the workmanship on the wallet portion is top notch. It also fits cash without having to fold notes, holds 4 cards and will absolutely outlast the device it was built for.
Unfortunately, the leather sleeve portion was an absolute piece of junk: brown epoxy gack everywhere, screen sat flush with absolutely zero protection, thin, no button cutouts: just overall a terrible idea if you had any plans of protecting your investment. Probably ok for desk workers.
Long story short: I did what any good forester would do and started thinking outside the box. Attached a thin iron plate to the rear of my quad lock case with epoxy, and am now using this as an insert into the BEMFEY wallet case. Results so far are impressive.
The magnets in the bemfey case are strong as hell, and though I will probably add another tiny iron plate on the top side I have never once come close to the phone coming away from the case accidentally. Even if it did, the Quad lock case is tough as hell and I have a bit of faith in it on it's own.
Together though, I doubt anyone else has got this level of functionality or protection on their Note 9. I've dropped it numerous times already: in the bush, on a plane, onto a tiled floor. Zero problem.
When it's time to ride, I peel the phone out of the wallet, securely lock it to my bars and pop the wallet it my pocket. Winning on all fronts.
It cost me a pretty penny to get there but I think I'm keeping this setup! In the grand scheme of things, it is worth investing 10% of your phone cost to make sure that it doesn't die an early death. If anyone wants to replicate, you can find quadlock on google and BEMFEY can be tracked down on their Etsy store. They will custom make to order including laser engraving if that is your thing.
Hey how good are the Quad Lock cases? Why I’m asking I’m fairly active, and i don’t want my Note 9 falling off my arm! I’m interested the arm band i been waiting for Supcase as they had a awesome Armband case for the S8+!
On that the band would feed behind the case it had a slit cut out so no matter what one would do jump run mountain biking etc. no way is the S8+ falling out! The supcase come in 2 parts soft tpu rubber and hard plastic the plastic as a lip, so when you put in the phone the tpu rubber would wrap around the hard plastic so it locks the phone in
i have been looking at other armbands, but they got a lock system and they kind of suck! i was planning on gluing the lock into the armband this is a supcase one Ive seen , but now i just saw your post and just found out about Quad lock! Could you please let me know, how reliable the lock is or would I need to glue it locked??? Thanks
As stated above, their build quality is epic.
I can't guarantee anything on the armband as I don't use one but it appears to have the exact same mounting hardware as the motorbike mount including the release switch. I can tell you right now, there is no way in hell it will come off if the hardware is the same.
I have crashed my motorbike offroad at speed, bruising myself up fairly impressively and this thing didn't go anywhere.
My gf is getting into running again and I plan to get her one of the quadlock armbands soon. You pay a bit, but you can keep the mount parts for your next phone. Even if you buy something exotic, you can just grab the universal mount or pry it off your old one and epoxy it on to a case.