Apple is doing everything it can to improve the green properties of its products. One part of this is phasing out the use of leather in iPhone cases and introducing a new $59/£59/$99 FineWoven alternative made from recycled materials. Unfortunately, this case has just been subjected to a scathing review from a prominent Apple reporter.
Wall Street Journal reporter Joanna Stern went to X (formerly Twitter) to show users how her FineWoven case held up five months after purchase – and the results are far from impressive.
“Here it is,” Stern said, “peeling edges, scratched and brown like a rotten banana.” Follow her up Tech Things NewsletterStern added dryly, “I’ve been waiting for the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) to show up at my house and declare it a biomedical problem.”
After contacting Apple, Stern was told that “the company’s cases are designed to the highest standard to protect iPhones and the FineWoven case’s durable micro twill will protect an iPhone for years to come.” However, after the experience of Stern and several other members of the public, that doesn’t sound too convincing.
A well-known story
This isn’t the first time Apple’s FineWoven case has come under fire. Shortly after launch, several news outlets noticed that it was easy to accidentally nick permanent marks and scratches into the case. Social media was flooded with complaints about the product’s perceived lack of durability, and our reviewer wasn’t exactly impressed either. It all seemed particularly painful considering the case’s high price tag.
Stern didn’t completely despair. Apple provides instructions on how to clean the FineWoven case, and Stern said that helped to some extent. Still, it did nothing to alleviate the scratches and peeling.
Now, Stern says she has set some new rules that will govern how she buys phone cases in the future. They can’t cost more than $40, must have MagSafe compatibility, and must protect her phone’s camera and screen.
Those sound like fair guidelines for anyone considering buying a new iPhone case. Under Stern’s parameters, Apple’s FineWoven wouldn’t cut it – but given its apparent lack of durability, that might not be a bad thing.