Behind the Scenes of the 'iPhone 5' Case Gamble
Businessweek takes a look into the world of iPhone case manufacturers, a few of which had made gambles on what the "iPhone 5" was going to look like.
Since Apple doesn't share case designs until the final product is released, case makers rely on rumors and factory leaks to plan for their new cases. According to the CEO of Coveroo, "If you have a good sense that you have the right measurements and plans, then you can ramp up production." That said, he also warns that guessing wrong could risk losing millions in worthless inventory.
The article also interviews Tim Hickman of Hard Candy Cases, the same case manufacturer that we reported
seemed confident in a tapered iPhone 5 design immediately before the iPhone 4S announcement. That company bet $50,000 that the new case designs would be dramatically different.
After three separate manufacturing partners in China sent him detailed 3D models of an iPhone with a widened, pill-shaped “home” button and a slightly tapered back, Hickman decided to roll the dice. He paid $50,000 to make steel moldings to mass-produce cases for the new design and, on the morning of Apple’s announcement, began taking orders on his website.
Factories in China provide the leaked specs to these case makers in an effort to get their business. According to Hickman using these leaks "pisses Apple off". But guessing correctly can be rewarded with an early ramp up in cases with availability soon after a new product launch. It's this possible financial reward that has tied the case industry so closely with Apple rumors.
Popular Stories
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...
Apple is planning to release at least one iPhone 17 model next year with mechanical aperture, according to a report published today by The Information. The mechanical system would allow users to adjust the size of the iPhone 17's aperture, which refers to the opening of the camera lens through which light enters. All existing iPhone camera lenses have fixed apertures, but some Android...
