Apple could be killing off an entire line of iPhone accessories after just one year

FineWoven could be on the way out

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Stock ofApple’s faux-leatherFineWoven iPhone casesandApple Watchbands is at an “all-time low”, suggesting that the controversial product line might be discontinued just a year after launching.

That’s according toBloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, who says low stock of FineWoven iPhone cases andApple Watchbands means that Apple is either planning to discontinue the accessories or refresh the lineup with new colors and support for new devices.

The next majorApple event, titled ‘It’s Glowtime’, is scheduled to take place on September 9, and we expect to hear news of theiPhone 16family, theApple Watch Ultra 3, andApple Intelligenceat the Cupertino-set showcase. If Apple is keeping FineWoven around, the company is likely preparing for a case refresh alongside these new hardware products.

Apple launched its line of FineWoven iPhone cases, Apple Watch bands, and AirTag holders alongside theiPhone 15series in September 2023.

FineWoven was introduced to replace leather in Apple’s accessories as part of the company’s mission to make every product carbon-neutral by 2030. The material is made up of 68% “post-consumer recycled content” according toApple, but the company has not released details on what, exactly, the stuff is made of.

However, customer reaction to FineWoven has been generally poor since Apple began using the fabric for accessories just one year ago.

In ourreview of the FineWoveniPhone 15 Pro case, we called the product “a disaster”, whileThe Vergecalled FineWoven “categorically terrible” andCNETsaid it “can’t applaud” the cases while respecting Apple’s move away from leather.

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Apple closing the upcycled curtains on FineWoven would be an unprecedented move, given that the company typically maintains features and product lines for several years, even in the face of bad reviews.

The unreliable Butterfly Keyboard introduced to MacBooks in 2015 remains one of the most notorious examples, with Apple even launching a repair scheme before finally ditching the keyboard with the 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro.

Regarding FineWoven, we’ve only heard rumors at this point, and it’ll be up to Apple to decide whether FineWoven will be a rare exception to the rule.

Gurman adds thatstock shortages are also being noted for the third-generation iPhone SE, theiPad mini,AirPods, and multipleApple Watchmodels, suggesting updates for these products could be on the way, too.

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Jamie is a Mobile Computing Staff Writer for TechRadar, responsible for covering phones and tablets. He’s been tech-obsessed from a young age and has written for various news and culture publications. Jamie graduated from Goldsmiths, University of London in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. Since starting out as a music blogger in 2020, he’s worked on local news stories, finance trade magazines, and multimedia political features. He brings a love for digital journalism and consumer technology to TechRadar. Outside of the TechRadar office, Jamie can be found binge-watching tech reviews, DJing in local venues around London, or challenging friends to a game of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

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