Here’s the exact number of new FineWoven iPhone 16 cases that was announced during Apple’s “Glowtime” keynote last night: zero. And that’s a good thing, to be honest, because good riddance.
In case you’ve forgotten, FineWoven was Apple’s attempt at introducing accessories made from its own eco-friendly microtwill fabric material of the same name, which is said to comprise of 68% post-consumer recycled materials. It was supposed to be the premium replacement to the company’s leather offerings, which is claimed to have left “a significant carbon footprint at Apple’s scale.” While a commendable and noble effort, FineWoven products never caught on.
You see, pretty much almost every accessory made with this new material was flawed, most especially the iPhone cases. They can get scratched and wet easily, as well as accumulate dust, grime and other icky stuff rapidly over time, with stains persisting even with cleaning done on the regular. In short, they’re just not good, especially when given the fact that all FineWoven products aren’t actually cheap.
Case in point, I’ve been using the same FineWoven case for a year now with my iPhone 15 Pro, and the results aren’t pretty. Shown above is what the case looks like when brand new on the left, and what how it appears now on the right. I apologise for the violent imagery.
It also didn’t help that there were barely any new FineWoven iPhone cases introduced after the initial batch. It is likely that Apple accepted the fact that its new product had tanked, evident by the numerous negative reviews from both critics and users alike, and quietly took most of them off the shelves.
While FineWoven’s lack of mention during last night’s event may imply that the product line is dead, this is actually far from the truth. Apple recently updated its official online store to include new MagSafe Wallet attachments, Watch straps, and AirTag Key Rings made from the material, which is surprising.
Whether accessories of these categories are actually popular or not amongst consumers are not entirely clear. However, one thing is for certain, it sure looks like we won’t be seeing any new FineWoven iPhone cases.
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