Stock of Apple’s FineWoven faux leather iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands is at an “all-time low,” suggesting the controversial product line could be discontinued just a year after its launch.
That's according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, who says that low stock of FineWoven iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands means Apple is planning to discontinue the accessories or update the line with new colors and support for new devices.
Apple's next big event, titled “It's Glowtime,” is scheduled for September 9, and we're expecting to hear news about the iPhone 16 family, the Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Intelligence at the presentation in Cupertino. If Apple is keeping FineWoven, it's likely the company is preparing a case refresh alongside these new hardware products.
Apple launched its line of FineWoven iPhone cases, Apple Watch bands, and AirTag holders alongside the iPhone 15 series in September 2023.
FineWoven was introduced to replace leather in Apple accessories as part of the company's mission to make all products carbon neutral by 2030. The material is made up of 68% “post-consumer recycled content” according to Apple, but the company hasn't released details about what exactly the material is made of.
However, customer reaction to FineWoven has been generally poor since Apple began using the fabric for accessories just a year ago.
In our review of the FineWoven iPhone 15 Pro case, we called the product “a disaster,” while The Verge called FineWoven “outright terrible” and CNET said it “can't applaud” the cases while also respecting Apple's move away from leather.
Apple's decision to pull the plug on FineWoven recycled curtains would be an unprecedented move, given that the company typically maintains features and product lines for several years, even in the face of poor reviews.
The unreliable Butterfly keyboard introduced on MacBooks in 2015 remains one of the most notorious examples; Apple even launched a repair plan before finally ditching the keyboard with the 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro.
As for FineWoven, we've only heard rumors so far, and it will be up to Apple to decide whether FineWoven will be a rare exception to the rule.
Gurman adds that stock shortages are also being observed for the third-generation iPhone SE, iPad mini, AirPods, and several Apple Watch models, suggesting that updates to these products could also be on the way.
