Beam Mobile iPhone Case

Consumer smartphones used in hospital settings lack protection, durability, and a professional appearance.

Hospitals and clinics increasingly rely on mobile devices for patient care, using off-the-shelf phones and tablets with specialized medical software. However, these devices must be protected against drops, spills, and constant use—without looking like personal devices. A nurse using a standard iPhone should appear professional, not like they’re texting a friend.

Beam Mobile creates ruggedized cases for hospital environments, allowing healthcare providers to use consumer devices safely and efficiently. They approached us to update their iPhone case, but we recognized this new design would set the foundation for an entire family of future products. Our challenge was to develop a cohesive, scalable aesthetic that could work across multiple device sizes and platforms, while ensuring durability, ease of use, and all-day reliability in demanding medical settings.

Balancing durability, ergonomics, and professional design.

Many “rugged” cases rely on aggressive faceted shapes and oversized bumpers to look tough—but true durability is about intelligent engineering, not aesthetics. For Beam, we designed a case that is rugged because of its construction, not its appearance. The result is a cleaner, friendlier form that blends seamlessly into a clinical environment while providing uncompromising protection.

• Impact Protection: Devices almost always hit corners when dropped, so we reinforced them with added thickness where it counts—without unnecessary bulk. An inner silicone cushion absorbs shock, and a wavy pattern around the edges allows for compression, improving both impact resistance and aesthetics.
• Medical-Grade Materials: The display is protected by scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass III, and speaker ports are covered with waterproof Tyvek to shield against spills and contaminants.
• Ergonomic & Functional Design: A subtle, wipeable grip texture ensures a secure hold, while the battery compartment is designed to blend naturally into the case, doubling as a resting place for the index finger.

We also accounted for long-term product scalability. Our industrial design research informed grip placement, battery sizing, and critical design considerations to ensure the case could be adapted to various Apple and Android devices while avoiding obstructions to cameras, fingerprint scanners, and other key inputs.

An Intuitive, Swappable Battery System for All-Day Use

A key feature of the Beam Mobile case is its backup battery, designed for 12-hour shifts in hospitals where constant device use is required. Unlike most power cases with built-in batteries that degrade over time, we developed a novel swappable battery system:

• Magnetically Retained Battery: Pressing on the top of the battery tilts it just enough for easy removal and replacement, ensuring seamless swaps during long shifts.
• Accommodating Battery Expansion: Lithium-ion batteries can swell over time. Our open installation method prevents tight enclosures that could become problematic, making the case more forgiving to dimensional changes.
• Patentable Innovation: This unique system provided Beam with not just a functional solution, but also an intellectual property advantage.

Ongoing Partnership‍

Ovyl continues to work with Beam Mobile, developing multiple iPhone and iPad SKUs over time, ensuring their product line remains at the forefront of medical-grade mobile protection.