Wirelessly posted
I think the current outer layer is an improvement over recent ones. It's smoother, stiffer and doesn't collect dust & lint. Earlier ones were somewhat tacky (non-slip) and quite flexible ... In some ways too flexible. Corners, edges could slip off with little pressure. But, the buttons worked flawlessly.
Personally, I much prefer the newer version. I have the Defender version. It makes the sleek iPhone 5 bulky and certainly bigger, heavier. However, for my $700+ investment, it's perfect protection.