Apple to introduce FineWoven replacement cases with iPhone 16 debut
Following a negative consumer reaction to its FineWoven cases for iPhone, Apple is likely to be replacing the lineup with cases that could be made from a new and unnamed material such as "vegan leather," according to a regular leaker.
Alleged new "leather" cases will keep the same colors as the Finewoven line.
Hit-or-miss leaker Majin Bu has again taken to social media to reveal images of the alleged new cases, which use the same colors as the FineWoven cases but are made of a new material. Black, blue, dark purple, green, and taupe colors have been retained from the previous FineWoven line, with a new light gray edition joining the lineup.
Bu alleges that Apple will keep the same color palette on the iPhone 16 "leather" cases.
Bu posted a second image showing what they initially claimed was the packaging for the new cases. However, they later backtracked and admitted that the image was a picture of existing Chinese knockoff cases.
Chinese replica cases and packaging said to be similar to what Apple will bring out.
The FineWoven micro twill cases Apple has promoted as a replacement for leather for the past two years had a good feel, but were easily scratched by fingernails, did not resist staining, and had a tendency to snag inside pockets.
Bu's track record has been very mixed over time, sometimes reprinting rumors from other sources without credit. Some leaks from Bu have turned out to be accurate -- they corrected predicted the camera move to the long side of the 10-generation iPad, for example.
Other reports, such as their claim that the iPhone 15 would have two front-facing selfie cameras, have turned out to be false.
Rumor Score: Likely
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Comments
Revive 1 hits 60,000 Martindale (abrasion testing cycles), the leather cases scored around 50,000, while FineWoven took a paltry 1,600 Martindale before disintegrating.
FineWoven 2 should at least hit 50k and Apple should report the number.
'educate yourself" sounds like you need to learn how to use the googles.
First I laughed at your dumb comment.
Then I searched "purses made of mushroom skin"
You educate yourself! Before telling someone who uses a product they already know about.
https://immaculatevegan.com/blogs/magazine/why-is-everyone-mad-about-mushroom-leather?srsltid=AfmBOooe3vn5_BUC-7zKKk0xAxQPCjtvvZSJfoFslSZvgI-m8h1tMvMT
Sigh ... now I need to tell you to work on your reading comprehension. Read my comment again - I never said mushroom skin wasn't a thing, I said the most common 'vegan leather' is vinyl. Would you care to revise your comment so it looks like you can read?
It's really quite sad how they mercilessly slaughter all those poor, innocent naugas. They should put a documentary on AppleTV about the cruel and inhumane nauga farms!
I really dislike deceptive advertising, especially when it plays on silly political correctness like "vegan leather." Call it what it is: "fake leather" or "pvc imitation leather." Eliminate the trickery. It's the same with pricing like $999.99. And to think, companies will always say, "all for less than $1,000"!! Just call it a round figure like $1,000 and stop trying to deceive consumers with a penny. Ditto for stupid gas station pricing. Enough already!
But even if your iPhone case was Full Grain (the real deal), it still won't be thick enough to be robust over time. Sure, it will look beautiful the first few days or possibly weeks of use. But at some point, you'll drop it on a corner, and then the thin leather will slightly rip out, get frayed, and look bad. A normal thick piece of Full Grain Leather on something like a book or bag will age gracefully (patina) simply because they are designed differently, thicker, and fall to the ground differently than an iPhone.
That is why I spent weeks checking leather cases for my brand new iPhone 15 Pro Max when I first bought it, hoping to find a Full Grain leather case for it that would last. I couldn't because they don't exist, at any price. (I'm talking about a lightweight CASE, not a slip cover or bag, mind you.) So what I ultimately ended up with was a non-leather more durable case from Torras. No, it's not an ad for them. It's just what I ultimately bought after weeks of research. And to this day, it remains pristine. I couldn't say the same for leather.
I mention all that to say that people have complained about FineWoven due to it being largely the same as leather (Full Grain or Vegan). It's not built to last. So a Vegan replacement won't be built to last either. Maybe it will hide scratches better. Sure. But as I said, one drop to a corner, and you've got a bad looking "leather" case. A drop on my Torras case doesn't result in that at all because it's not leather or trying to pretend to be leather.
Don't get me wrong. I have purchased Apple's leather protectors in the past and loved them, such as the magnetically attached iPad covers, the first of which I bought back in 2012. It looks great even today. But you don't carry an iPad with you wherever you do, and you often don't drop them on the corner of the device as a result. The iPad covers are display covers only and not full device covers. That matters.
So before people get all excited about Apple replacing FineWoven, you need to consider just how long your case will last and look nice during the time it lasts. Anything leather, real or fake, on an iPhone really isn't something built to endure hard drops at the corners. And yes, I really do think that matters, even if some of you chime in with positive experiences about real leather iPhone cases. Some people are lucky or blessed.
Kind of like how Mac minis and regular iPads are not being replenished in the channel at the moment, at least not where I live.*