Apple customers aren’t having a great experience with the company’s iPhone 15 FineWoven cases. As Cupertino aims to hit its carbon-neutral goal by 2030, it has to stop selling leather accessories. While silicone and clear cases are still available, Apple’s replacement for leather is giving the company and users some headaches.
Now, in an internal memo seen by 9to5Mac, Apple addressed to its store employees how they need to manage complaints on the FineWoven cases and the steps to clean them. The memo reads: “You may get questions from customers about the appearance of the new FineWoven material, how it wears over time, and how to care for it. You can let customers know the FineWoven material is made from a luxurious microtwill, with a soft yet durable suede-like texture.”
While several hands-on from the media show that this product doesn’t seem or feel premium at all, Apple is making sure to create this narrative that FineWoven is as good as the old leather cases. While Cupertino says, “some scratches may diminish over time,” the company wants its employees to say that some FinWoven cases “may look different and show wear over time as the fibers get compressed with normal use.” In addition, MagSafe accessories will leave “slight imprints,” which are “similar to leather and many other materials” react to MagSafe chargers.
Lastly, the company explains how users should clean their FineWoven cases:
- Dip a lint-free cloth into clean water
- Wring out until only slightly damp
- Rub the cloth on the FineWoven surface gently for 1 minute
Although it doesn’t seem this will be enough to end the backlash on these cases, we’ll have to see how Apple deals with these complaints, whether by introducing a new material or discontinuing these cases for good.
While I still have to test one of these cases by myself, I feel like some people really push hard to misuse this product just to get likes and retweets. Surely, Apple has an issue here, but it might not be as bad as some are painting.
BGR will keep an eye on this issue as we hear from our readers and Apple itself.
