Updated Aug. 21 with more details about the upcoming TechWoven cases for iPhone 17.
The latest leak says that when the iPhone 17 series is released in September (and you can see exactly when that will be if you read this), one of the key accessories, the protective case, will have a curiously familiar name, but a wholly new design. The addition of holes for the attachment of a lanyard is unprecedented in Apple’s cases.
And a new report from the same source suggests what colors the cases for the iPhone 17 Pro will include.
What will the iPhone 17 cases look like?
NurPhoto via Getty Images
Cast your mind back to September 2023 and the release of the iPhone 15 series: Apple discontinued leather cases for the iPhone, for environmental reasons. It introduced something called FineWoven, a high-end alternative to protect your phone. It had a certain charm to it, but it didn’t prove popular and Apple quietly retired most FineWoven products within a year of their release. None of the iPhone 16 series had FineWoven cases on offer, for instance.
So, it’s a surprise that, according to a new report from serial leaker Majin Bu, Apple is about to announce new cases with a name that evokes FineWoven.
“Apple is set to revolutionize accessories for iPhone 17 with the new TechWoven cases, an innovative material designed to overcome the shortcomings of the controversial FineWoven. Featuring a refreshed design, enhanced durability, and a sustainable approach, these cases could become the new standard,” the report says.
The report includes photographs of boxes showing the TechWoven case in five colors.
The cases also have MagSafe compatibility, it’s claimed, which is not a surprise, but the second claim is that unprecedented element mentioned above: lanyard holes. Other manufacturers have made it possible to attach lanyards but not Apple. The box, which also mentions that the case has built-in Camera Control, is “compatible with Crossbody Strap.”
Note the capitalization, which suggests that Apple will be making a body-worn lanyard for the case — another first.
“These aren’t actual Apple phone case boxes, Majin Bu says, but references that ‘are almost always 1:1 clones of original models,’ ” 9to5Mac comments.
Which may make those capitals less reliable, but let’s see.
The boxes, real or not, look convincing, showing cases that have wide cut-outs for the new camera panel and —unlike previous reports — doesn’t have an Apple logo in a wildly different place from where it is now.
Now, Majin Bu has released a series of images showing what the new cases will look like in a series of five colors. The leaker doesn’t have official names for the colors, but shows them in an intriguing image.
The report describes the cases. They are said to have a “slightly textured weave that improves grip and reduces signs of wear. It resists glossing and maintains a consistent appearance even after weeks of use,” it says. Hold on. Weeks? I mean, we all have our iPhones for a year and more, so weeks seems pretty paltry, no?
A photograph of the alleged cases shows suitably muted shades. I’d describe them as grey, steel blue, lawn green, mauve and salmon, though Apple will have different, and better, names. A side view shows feistily bright button covers. The cases are clearly not real — they’re weirdly different sizes for a start, but they may give a sense of the style of the cases.
The same leaker has offered other details besides the colors. In a separate post, Majin Bu has asserted that the new material will resist stratches and daily wear better than FineWoven and will be eco-friendly, which was the reason Apple stopped making leather cases.
“This material offers a rubbery, grippy texture, improving hold and reducing the risk of drops. However, it trades some premium elegance for practicality. While the look is modern and sleek, questions remain about its long-term durability,” the report claims.
The leaker also says that the new cases will have metallic button covers which will offer “improved tactile feedback,” as well as a cover for the Camera Control. When the first third-party cases were released last September, many of these used a cut-out for the Camera Control instead of a more expensive component that could mimic the pressure-sensitivity and capacitive touch capabilities of the control itself. It will be interesting to see if external companies stick to cut-outs this year.
Meantime, the leak says that the new TechWoven cases will be made available for all four models of iPhone 17. There have been separate reports of a battery case for the iPhone 17 Air, but this isn’t mentioned by Majin Bu in this round-up.
More details as they emerge.
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