Apple has probably stopped production of its poorly-received FineWoven cases for the iPhone, but a new report from the same herald of its death says there is one last set of seasonal colorways coming.
Apple's range of FineWoven cases
FineWoven is Apple's name for its leather-free cases for the iPhone 15 range. They've not been a hit.
Consequently, Apple was reported to have cancelled production of it, presumably as the company works to find a replacement.
Now according to leaker Kosutami, who first reported the cancellation, there could still be one more push for the FineWoven cases.
Update: Apple would still produce(sale) the FineWoven for a season(new colors)
-- Kosutami (@Kosutami_Ito) April 23, 2024
Pressed on the rumor, Kosutami emphasizes later in the same thread that if this is correct, it will be for only one more season. It's now almost eight months since the launch of the iPhone 15 range, so it's unlikely that there is to be a new mid-cycle color of the iPhone, but perhaps there can yet be new colors for the FineWoven cases.
It seems unlikely that Apple would now invest in whatever re-design would be needed to make FineWoven cases that would fit the forthcoming iPhone 16 range.
So it's hard to assess the probability of this report, especially since -- as with the cancellation claim -- there is no verifiable source. This time leaker Kosutami also fails to mention whether there will yet be any more FineWoven bands for the Apple Watch.
Consequently, this rumor can at best be said to be possible, especially if Apple had already committed resources to the new colors. However, since FineWoven has proven to be startlingly poor at stain resistance or even just durability, it's more believable that it is gone for good than it is that FineWoven will get a last hoorah.
Nonetheless, leaker Kosutami was correct in September 2023 when he or she reported on Apple's launching of FineWoven as a replacement for leather.