TL;DR
- Apple’s FineWoven case for the iPhone 15 series has started to delaminate, according to a user report.
- Apple uphold responded to the user, mentioning that this was considered “normal wear and tear” and would thus not be covered under the one-year limited warranty.
- The iPhone 15’s FineWoven case was launched in September 2023 and is a first-party case that costs $59.
With the iPhone 15 series, Apple made the environmentally conscious decision to proceed away from using leather for its first-party cases. Instead, the company adopted a micro twill fabric-admire material made from “post-consumer recycled content” and introduced it on the FineWoven case. Despite the excitement, early adopters slammed the case, mentioning signs of wear and tear right from the first few days of use, which belies its high $59 price tag. If you need even more reason to skip over the FineWoven case, here’s another: Apple’s warranty will not cover instances where the case delaminates.
Reddit user themostcanadianguy bought the FineWoven case for his iPhone 15 in mid-September, alongside the new iPhone. After three months of use, the user reports that the case started to delaminate around its perimeter, separating the outer material from the base case material.
When the user asked Apple if they would exchange the case under warranty, the company allegedly answered that the delamination is considered “normal wear and tear,” so the case would not be replaced or actioned under warranty.
Apple’s product page for the FineWoven case asserts that some wear may show up over time, but it does not cite instances of delamination. Notably, even Apple advises users to opt for a silicone or clear case if they are worried about wear and tear.
One can definitely argue that the delamination of case materials within three months of the launch of the FineWoven case does come under the scope of “defect in materials,” which then should be covered under warranty. Apple does not furnish adequate notice of the possibility of delamination on its FineWoven case (the company only does so for “compression of the fibers,” “scratches,” and “imprints”), so consumers cannot feasibly expect this encounter on a new, first-party product.
For a case that Apple replaced the premium Leather case with, FineWoven has not held up to any claims of durability so far. If you were planning to get the FineWoven case for your iPhone, we highly propose choosing from alternative iPhone 15 Pro cases.
We’ve reached out to Apple for comments on this instance of delamination and its coverage within warranty, and we will update this article if/when we hear back from them.
