Apple could be bringing the bumper case back for the iPhone 17, with the company considering reviving a concept going back to 2010.

People buying new iPhones or upgrading their existing model often buy a case at the same time. While the case typically hides the back of the iPhone itself, Apple has apparently thought about a revival to make it completely visible again.

In an X post on Sunday, Mark Gurman of Bloomberg writes that he believes Apple considered and possibly tested creating a new case for the iPhone 17 generation. Gurman adds that it could be for the "slimmer iPhone" model, which could be the iPhone 17 Air or Slim.

The case concept itself is one where the edges of the iPhone are covered up, much like a standard case. However, the section of the case covering the rear of the iPhone would be left out entirely.

The idea is that you would see both the front and the back of the iPhone, much like a transparent case. The main difference is that the back of the iPhone would be completely acceptable, instead of covered by a sheet of clear plastic.

The proposal is, Gurman notes, very similar to that of the iPhone 4 bumper, an idea that Apple was so onboard with that it gave them away for free in 2010.

Bare, but protected

The high cost of the iPhone to consumers may prompt some to think twice about leaving the back exposed to the elements. Even so, the 15-year-old revival would still be protective to the rear.

The old-style bumper extends out beyond the thickness of the iPhone by a few millimeters at the front and back. This is something modern cases still do.

The reason is that, if you were to lay the iPhone flat on a surface, any debris on the surface won't make contact with the iPhone's screen or rear enclosure, reducing the chance of scratching.

For the iPhone 17 generation, which includes new camera bumps on the back, the change also reduces the fiddling a customer needs to do to fit the bump through the case cutout. A bumper effectively has an all-back cutout.

Mark Gurman has a pretty good track record when it comes to Apple stories, including product specifications and future product work. The story seems plausible, especially considering Apple is a prolific case maker in its own right, as well as the bumper's history.

The bumper is the latest accessory-related rumor surrounding the iPhone 17. Earlier in August, images of a supposed TechWoven case started to emerge as a spiritual successor to FineWoven.