There’s definitely something to be said about being among the first to successfully achieve something — a feat that’s especially par for the course when it comes to being the first case manufacturer to have their products on shelves when a brand new iPhone is looming on the horizon.
After all, it’s a multimillion dollar business that’s more about the mantra, “the early bird catches the worm,” than anything else — even though the plans and associated investments made in an attempt to cross the finish line first, can just as easily backfire.
Some, for instance — such as well-connected KGI Securities’ analyst Ming Chi Kuo — believe the so-called “iPhone 6c,” or “iPhone 5se,” or whatever it’s called, will resemble a smaller version of Apple’s blockbuster iPhone 5s handset — adopting the rounded glass screen of its successor, the iPhone 6.
Even still, others believe the impending iPhone will feature a form factor somewhere along the lines of a shrunken down iPhone 6, in and of itself — which would effectively standardize the company’s full line of handsets for the first time in years.
Which leads us to the current dilemma: Insofar as cases are concerned, early bets indicate that manufacturers are leaning towards the shrunken down iPhone 6 form-factor.
Rearth USA, for example, has so far shown off renders of a new case designed for a 4-inch “iPhone 6c.” And even though they’re currently available for preorder, it still remains to be seen if the company has committed to full-on production.
After all, accessory makers have periodically lost out in the past — hedging their bets and placing their money on form factors that ultimately never saw the light of day. And that only makes this gamble even more of a risky proposition, right?
Another such instance occurred in 2011, when Hard Candy placed a $50,000 order for production of case molds based on a rumored teardrop design for the device that would eventually become the otherwise fine-lined iPhone 4s.
Also in 2011, CaseMate prepped for the same type of handset, with a “completely different form factor,” featuring an “extended home button.” Although it’s still unknown if the company ultimately followed through with its plans for mass production.
Learn More: Leaked Video May Reveal New iPhone 6c
Are you planning to buy yourself one of the impending “iPhone 6c” handsets?
What are your plans when it comes to buying a case for it?