Quite literally the opposite of Back to the Future, this iPhone 16 Pro case is more like “Forward to the Past”.
When you buy a phone, chances are you spring for a case immediately for one of two reasons – to either protect your phone, or to personalize it. However, Printables user Retron Print may have invented a new reason to add a case to your phone. Meet the iPhone Retro Case – a case that takes your cutting-edge smartphone and transforms it into a marvel of old-school technology. The two-part case sandwiches your phone in between, turning it into an old-timey CRT monitor (albeit with a functional main camera and dynamic island). To complement the case’s old-school design, Retron Print also equipped the phone with a retro home screen and custom icons and widgets. Although I’d personally love to have the iPhone stick to a Macintosh-based system, this one is unabashedly Windows, with a non-functional Clippy icon on the screen. Quite a downgrade from Siri and Apple Intelligence, no?
Designer: Retron Print
The beauty of the case is that it justifies every aspect of its retro design without compromise. Look at monitors from times of yore and they often had thick, chunky bezels. While most monitors came with a ‘chin’ which would either house a floppy disk reader or just control buttons, this retro case shifts the asymmetric chin to the side, with front-facing buttons that actually work. Built cleverly into the case’s mechanism are buttons that face forwards, but trigger the action and volume buttons on the side of the iPhone. The detailing’s prebuilt into the case’s design, and all you need to really do is 3D print and then assemble.
On the front, the case features an oval frame reminiscent of old CRT monitors, although it doesn’t obstruct the screen in any way. It’s a small but meaningful detail that gives the case a distinctly vintage vibe. Around the back, long, deep grooves evoke the look of classic desktop computers and also provide better grip. These thoughtful design elements ensure that while the case embraces nostalgia, it still offers the user a modern experience with improved functionality and tactile appeal. Meanwhile, speaker systems are accounted for too, with slots on the top and bottom that let you listen to audio from your iPhone.
When it comes to color options, Retron Print suggests using filament in shades like sandy beige, gray, or light brown to fully capture the retro essence. These muted tones are reminiscent of the classic electronics from decades past, enhancing the nostalgic appeal. This attention to detail extends to the print process itself. The case’s front and back panels are best printed on a textured print plate, adding an extra dimension to the overall look and feel, while the buttons should be printed on a smooth plate to maintain their tactile nature.
For those eager to bring a bit of retro flair to their iPhone, the case is available for iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models. You can purchase the STL files for just $10 on Printables.com and print the case yourself, although this just includes the retro case’s 3D files and not the wallpaper and app icons. When it comes to color options, Retron Print suggests using filament in shades like sandy beige, gray, or light brown to fully capture the retro essence. These muted tones are reminiscent of the classic electronics from decades past, enhancing the nostalgic appeal.
However, commercial use of this model is restricted. To sell prints of this design, users must become a member of the Retron Print Commercial Club, ensuring that the creator, AndrzejG, receives credit and support for their work. This stipulation ensures that while the model is available for personal use, it remains protected against unauthorized distribution.
