

One of my very favourite iPhone accessories is Apple's leather iPhone case. I've been buying them at least since the iPhone X, if not before, and while they're laughably expensive the reason I keep coming back to them is because they're very, very good. So I'm sad to hear that Apple may not be making them any more.
A new rumour suggests that the Apple Leather Case will be no more once the iPhone 15 launches. Although the leaker, DuanRui on Twitter, isn't someone I've heard of, this seems too specific a leak to be somebody making stuff up for clout chasing; if you were going for that you'd be posting that the iPhone 15 had seventeen cameras, a folding display and was powered via a room temperature semiconductor. So I'm inclined to take this one seriously.
The leak is based on sources from Chinese social media, where we've seen Apple information leak before. And the more established leaker ShrimpApplePro and the Mac news site 9to5Mac both say that their sources are telling them the same.
What's happening to the iPhone leather case?
The most likely explanation is that Apple is moving away from real leather, which has a significant environmental footprint as well as the ethical objections to it, to a faux or vegan leather. I'd be interested to see how that pans out, because Apple's non-leather cases aren't brilliant: I've tried its silicone cases in the past and found them to wear out in a fraction of the time, and unlike leather silicone just looks shabby when it gets scratched and worn.
If you'd like to see what Apple might be working on, you might want to take a trip down to your local Land Rover / Range Rover or Mercedes dealership. According to AZO Materials, as quoted by 9to5Mac, many premium cars now use leather-like premium materials: Kvadrat, a wool/polyster blend used in luxury Land Rovers, and Artico, a synthetic vinyl-based leather used in some Mercedes.
My concern here isn't so much how it looks, because even fairly cheap vegan leather can look quite convincing in the right shades. I'm more concerned about how it wears, because like many people I think leather looks best when it's got a bit of life to it and its pristine appearance has become as wrinkled and aged as my face, but hopefully better looking. I think when I go for my iPhone 15 I might go for a cheaper case first until I see how other people's cases are wearing.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Writer, musician and broadcaster Carrie Marshall has been covering technology since 1998 and is particularly interested in how tech can help us live our best lives. Her CV is a who’s who of magazines, newspapers, websites and radio programmes ranging from T3, Techradar and MacFormat to the BBC, Sunday Post and People’s Friend. Carrie has written more than a dozen books, ghost-wrote two more and co-wrote seven more books and a Radio 2 documentary series; her memoir, Carrie Kills A Man, was shortlisted for the British Book Awards. When she’s not scribbling, Carrie is the singer in Glaswegian rock band Unquiet Mind (unquietmindmusic).
-
Struggling to nail push-ups? A fitness expert says this simple hack will make them stronger
A simple tweak to your arm position can make all the difference
By Bryony Firth-Bernard Published
-
Android Auto 14 beta arrives and it sets the groundwork for major changes
More details link Android Auto to significant car control changes
By Chris Hall Published
-
Apple could have two Studio Displays in the pipeline, but there's mystery behind the second
The great Apple monitor mystery – is Apple making two Studio Displays or something even bigger?
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
Google Maps design update finally comes to iPhone after Android owners have enjoyed it for months
It should make one-handed use much easier
By Britta O'Boyle Published
-
MacBook Air M4 ups the power, battery life and is surprisingly cheaper
Apple announces a new MacBook Air with a big upgrade to M4 processing
By Rik Henderson Published
-
There's an ingenious and cheap way to make sure you never lose your camera
If you're worried about losing your expensive camera, this little device could help
By Chris Hall Published
-
5 must-know iPhone 16e facts and how it compares to iPhone 16
Apple's newest iPhone is an interesting addition
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
Apple's "Google Lens" update is confirmed for older iPhones too, but there's a small catch
Visual Intelligence is Apple's answer to Google Lens and it'll soon be available on iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max
By Rik Henderson Published
-
iPhone 16e official – Apple's entry-level iPhone gets a new name and Apple Intelligence
If you were considering an iPhone 16, this could be a more pocket-friendly alternative
By Rik Henderson Published
-
Apple Maps could soon get an update that'll certainly divide opinions
iPhone users may soon notice a change in their Apple Maps results
By Sam Cross Published