While Apple is yet to confirm the rumors, speculation that the company was moving away from leather began last month when an X (formerly Twitter) leaker posted a claim that Apple would not release a leather case for its upcoming iPhone 15 handsets.
This claim was followed last week by a video posted to X by the tech writer and leaker Sonny Dickson purporting to show still images of what appear to be iPhone 15 and 15 Pro prototypes.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, a reliable source of Apple leaks, confirmed that the video showed “a sample/replica of the new leather-free iPhone 15 case.”
Gurman followed up that claim by adding in an X post: “I am expecting Apple to begin moving away from leather on its Apple Watch bands as well.”
Gurman followed up on this claim later with a second post: “I’m told that Apple last month started offering employees its Hermès leather accessories (and leather link bands) at up to 90 percent off. Clearly some inventory clearing going on.”
Apple has a long-standing partnership with the French luxury design brand Hermès dating back to 2015.
While no official explanation has been forthcoming for the move away from leather, the assumption is that Apple is trying to improve its environmental image, following the company’s pledge to be carbon-neutral by 2030.