When it comes to iPhone cases, Apple has always seemed to accept the accessories only grudgingly, as if the mere idea of covering its beautiful designs—in plastic, leather, or whatever—was distasteful. The company has long sold third-party cases in its stores, but I suspect this is simply because customers demand them. Apple would prefer for everyone to leave their phones proudly naked.
Indeed, the only iPhone case the company itself has previously made, the iPhone 4 Bumper, could scarcely be called a case: It simply surrounded the edges of the phone. The Bumper was nicely designed (if a bit bulky for what it was), and it alleviated the "bridged-antenna" issue on the iPhone 4, but it left the entire back and front of the iPhone 4 exposed. (Apple would probably say "made available for admiration.")
So we were a bit surprised when Apple announced, alongside the iPhone 5s and 5c, that it had created cases for both new phones. I've been testing the new $39 iPhone 5s Case, and it's quite good for a protective shell.
The case—which actually fits both the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5—is a rigid shell that covers the back and sides of your iPhone, leaving its screen exposed. Available in brown, beige, black, yellow, light blue, and (Product) Red, the case sports a soft-leather exterior with a recessed Apple logo on the back. The inside rear of the case—but not the inner edges—is covered in a soft microfiber. I tested the beige version.
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