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After claiming that Apple wouldn’t be releasing leather cases for its upcoming iPhone 15 lineup, leakers have now shared photos of the rumored alternative cases the company will be offering next month. Based on the posts, the accessory uses environmentally friendly materials and will sport a woven-like texture.
The new iPhone 15 simil leather case should have a different texture pic.twitter.com/7nA6HHVcl1
— Majin Bu (@MajinBuOfficial) August 27, 2023
The news has been affirmed by three leakers on X and Weibo. @MajinBuOfficial and @duanrui1205 shared the same set of images sourced from Weibo, with the former saying that the case “should have a different texture.” Meanwhile, DuanRui’s post focused on the accessory material, sharing hearsay that “the official case for the iPhone 15 Pro lineup is supposed to be a patchwork of these two materials.”
Reliable leaker Uncle Pan on Weibo also supported the claim by sharing another image of the cases in different colors. According to the leaker, who claimed to have “checked with the factory to see the craftsmanship and color,” the case will show a woven-style texture. It is important to note, however, that the colors shown in the posts do not represent any official colors Apple is planning for the cases.
Other reports believe the material will be vegan (Majin Bu said it would be “imitation leather.”), marking Apple’s official departure from using leather for its phone cases. This will reflect the Cupertino giant’s current initiative involving its sustainability and environmental visions, which includes its push for more repair-friendly products. According to past leaks and reports, the company will continue this in the iPhone 15 series by introducing a redesigned chassis. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said that it would allow iPhone owners to easily access the insides of their devices by including a removable back glass, specifically in the Pro models of the iPhone 15 lineup.
Aside from that, another leak showing that the Phone 15 series C port tail plug will include an integrated SIM card slot indicates Apple’s further repairability efforts. According to AppleInsider, this could mean a simpler repair process since it drops the direct logic-board connection. It says:
…Third-party repair facilities and repair enthusiasts may have an easier time just swapping out the individual parts. This also may make it easier for third-party repair shops to convert eSIM devices to physical SIMs with less complexity.
The moves will follow Apple’s previous initiatives to expand its self-repair service offerings to its customers, including the addition of the iPhone 14 lineup in its Self-Service Repair program as well as the 13-inch MacBook Air and MacBook Pro powered by M2. And given Apple has recently expressed its support for California’s Right to Repair Act, such an action makes sense for the company.
