Apple leather case split at buttons -- defect or just poor design?

[SaguaroSeven]

Was in the Apple Store yesterday and tried on a different case for my iPhone 13 Pro. After I left I noticed this damage on my leather case, which i got at Christmas. The damage seems to be from stress while removing the case. The case is cracked through on volume side, and the same has started on the power side.

What do you make of this? Defect in the case, poor design, of is this just normal wear?

 

[Splitrail]

It does look like it's been bent or pulled a time or two, in the direction that one would have to pull it to remove the case.
Do you always remove it from the same side?

 

[Motionblurrr]

Where's the "user error" choice?

 

[Knowlege Bomb]

Can honestly say I’ve never seen that and I get one every year.

Manufacturing defect 100%. Take it back to Apple and get a new one.

 

[SaguaroSeven]

Can honestly say I’ve never seen that and I get one every year.

Manufacturing defect 100%. Take it back to Apple and get a new one.

I appreciate that, even though that's last place in the pole! I did ask the "gatekeeper" at the Apple Store, right after I noticed it and he said, "normal wear isn't covered." I'll give it a go though.

 

[SaguaroSeven]

It does look like it's been bent or pulled a time or two, in the direction that one would have to pull it to remove the case.
Do you always remove it from the same side?

True. Because of the size of the camera opening and it's location relative to the buttons, this area receives all the stress when removing the case. Maybe because of the large camera bump, or just the flat sides, the iPhone 13 Pro cases are the most difficult to remove of any iPhone I've owned.

 

[Splitrail]

It does look like it's been bent or pulled a time or two, in the direction that one would have to pull it to remove the case.
Do you always remove it from the same side?

How many times has the case been removed from the phone since you got it?

 

[Splitrail]

Is the case 100% leather, or is it leather molded and bonded to another material?

 

[Chrisjaylv]

I’ve never had this issue and I always buy apple leather cases as my first case.

 

[Dealmans]

User fault, always take the case off by the corners not the sides.

 

[TheIntruder]

Those quadrants of any case, containing the volume/mute cutouts and on the opposite side, camera cutout, are going to have the least strength/rigidity, and be the most fragile.

That's why the case makers who do care, and provide instructions on installation and removal, have generally specified that the volume button side/corner is first on/last off. Given the increased size of the 11+ camera bumps, the entire top portion has increased vulnerability.

Applying force to that corner, or both top corners, is going to naturally expose the weakest areas of the case.

That's not a defect, just physics.

 

[SaguaroSeven]

Just FYI, Apple sent me a replacement.