If you’re an extremely online Apple user, you’ve probably heard the collective disappointment over the company’s new FineWoven cases for the iPhone 15/15 Pro series. Everyone from Reddit to The Verge to Digital Trends has reasons why you shouldn’t spend $99 on Apple’s case made of recycled materials. It’s a scratch magnet, and even the slightest fingernail scrape shows on the brushed aesthetic of the case. Getting water on it is also a big no-no, as CNET reports that any little liquid will stay, showing everyone the evidence of your chaotic life. And some folks think it’s too expensive for what feels like a panel of thin, ‘70s-style carpet.
But the FineWoven case isn’t that bad. Yes, it’s expensive, but if you are an Apple user, aren’t you already used to spending too much money?
In all seriousness, most of the worthiest cases out there—the ones with the highest impact ratings and actual reinforcement—tend to cost around the same price. Brands like Otterbox, Moft, and Case-Mate have cases within that price range. If it’s a quality, sturdy case you’re looking for that maintains its aesthetic after heavy use, the $99 could go far somewhere else. You don’t have to buy Apple’s case!
In my short time with the FineWoven Case with MagSafe—in Pacific Blue, not named after the eponymous ‘90s TV show—I’ve seen some scratches. There’s even some food residue around the edges because I’m a mess, and I’ve been eating at my desk. But the case does everything I need: it protects Apple’s review unit while I have it on loan, it offers access to the volume rocker, Action Button, and power button, and it works with MagSafe accessories. I can adhere the older-gen of the PopSocket PopGrip or the new-gen round PopGrip to maintain a steady hold, or I can toss up the iPhone 15 Pro Max onto a charging stand and turn it into a widget-filled smart display via StandBy. The point is that the case doesn’t intervene with the primary function of the iPhone 15, which is to act as a smartphone and centralizing computing unit for your life.
Yes, $US60 is quite a bit to spend on something that is getting negative reviews across the web. While the leather case that Apple was making beforehand was more premium-seeming than the FineWoven’s “luxurious and durable microtwill,” it was terrible for the environment. The leather case is also not backward compatible, so don’t try to shove your iPhone 15 into an iPhone 14 case, please.
I’m not saying you should buy Apple’s new case. I’m just saying if you did, it’ll be fine.
If you need a case for your iPhone 15/15 Pro, there are many other options—more than there are for Android, or at least it seems like it when I’m shopping for the Google Pixel. Apple still makes a silicone case for the iPhone, and it’s $US10 less than the FineWoven. There’s also a clear case option, which you should go for anyway because it lets you show off the polished new body of the iPhone 15 series. Casetify is also a popular brand for its wealth of designs, and its business seems especially catered to the iPhone-using crowd. If you still need the leather look, Nomad and Mujjo are reputable brands with a penchant for polished. If too many scratches on the case sound like something that’s not your style, don’t bother with the FineWoven option. But you’re also probably the type who already has their own preferences.