On January 27, 2010, the original Apple tablet was introduced by the late Steve Jobs. It was another grounding-breaking product introduction from Apple and would be Job's swan song keynote.
As the creators of the Apple-specific case market, MacCase gave the new Apple tablet computer a good long look and decided to apply our talent and resources to protect them. Our handmade, Premium Leather iPad cases were born.
For over 12 years MacCase has led the way with the best in leather iPad Pro cases. As the Apple tablet sold into the millions, there seemed to be a million different cases coming out to protect it. As we looked at what our customers wanted from a folio-style case, we chose several form factors we felt would offer the most benefit.
Our design objective was to create the highest quality, premium leather iPad cases and covers on the market. Yes, there were many cases insanely more expensive than our original, but as many customers have told us, they were more expensive but not better.
The Best iPad Pro Case
One such customer was a producer at the BBC in London. He was a self-admitted, "case guy" and ordered an Italian-made ostrich leather cover costing $650 US dollars. Then he ordered the MacCase Folio. Once our Folio arrived, he quickly returned the ostrich case and got his $650 back.
He called to tell us this story. His exact quote was, "The fancy Italian ostrich case was way more expensive than your offering, but not better. Your design is clearly superior. I kept yours and sent the bird case back".
The current line of our iPad Pro 12.9 6th generation leather case and iPad Pro 11 4th generation case are the best we have ever produced. Our polymer tray protects the corners and edges better than even Apple's own designs. Once placed into the tray, the tablet seems to float effortlessly in the case.
Our ethically sourced leather wraps the whole thing in an unbeatable feeling of luxury and quality. Plus, the hides smell great too! The natural vegetable oil that is part of the tanning process creates a unique aroma. Customers often describe our folios as the "luxury iPad case".
All of these elements add to a premium, luxury user experience that is uniquely MacCase. There are a lot of options in leather iPad Pro cases and covers. But what about the company behind the case?
No one has been protecting Apple portables longer than MacCase. Have a product question? Call and talk to the guy who designs them. Have a problem with a purchase? The President of the company will help you personally. Superior products married to superior customer service.
Leather iPad Pro Case: A Brief History
When the original Apple tablet was launched MacCase began working on several cases and bags to transport and protect the new tablet. The result of this effort was several new designs.
These included a first ever folio-style, full-grain leather iPad case. Yes the case was protective, but it raised the game for what a luxury iPad case could be.
This iPad leather folio case was an all-new design, unlike anything that MacCase had ever produced before: Much more complex, requiring more attention to detail, more inherent structure and precise engineering to make these covers work. It took a long time to develop and each piece was going to take a long time to create.
It was wrapped in a stitch-perfect exterior that felt more like an heirloom book. The handmade quality of our original covers was perfectly juxtaposed with the cold, clinical feel of the Apple tablet. Customers loved them and we were on our way.
It's been more than 12 years since that first model. As Apple tablets became more ubiquitous, customers started wanting more and more features. The problem was, if these features were added the way the customers thought they wanted them, what they loved about our iPad travel case would be ruined.
Therein lay the challenge. How do you add features like a place to put papers, hold the Apple Pencil, business cards, and the charging cable without destroying our simple, elegant, professional, and timeless Folio design?
The answer was the MacCase Magnetic Accessory System. The system elegantly integrates all 4 of these features if you need them, but doesn't make you pay for them or use them if you don't.
Leather iPad Pro 12.9 Case
Once the new cover design was established and we could see that customers wanted more features, we jumped into action. We distilled down the many features people were asking for into a top 4. The result was our leather iPad Pro 12.9 case first introduced in 2017. We also had a similar leather case for iPad Pro 11 as well.
With our magnetic accessory system, we clearly had something that was much more than just a cover. It was an iPad leather portfolio that could be customized to the needs of an individual user. The magnets allowed the user to easily switch, add or subtract among the 4 accessories as needed. This was an unprecedented breakthrough in leather iPad portfolio case design and one that is still in use today.
The most popular option is our Pencil holder. It is a handmade leather case cut from the same ethically sourced hides as the portfolio. It used 2 strong magnets to lock onto the exterior of the case. This might not be what people think of when they think of an iPad Pro case with Pencil holder and that's okay. The system works and it works well.
Do iPads Need Cases?
Whether an iPad needs a case depends on individual preferences and circumstances. a good quality case can act as cheap insurance. Considering their fragility, it’s recommended to get a case to protect your tablet.
Ultimately, the decision to use a case for your Apple tablet is a personal one. It depends on your priorities, lifestyle, and how you want to use and protect your device.
Some users find that cases are essential for peace of mind, while others prefer the minimalist design of the tablet itself. It's important to weigh the pros and cons and choose the option that aligns with your needs and preferences.
What is the Difference Between an iPad Cover and a Folio?
There is no difference between an iPad cover and an iPad folio. Both typically cover the front and rear panels of an Apple tablet. A folio may fold into a stand for viewing while a cover may not.
iPad cases typically have several layers of materials that can make up their outer shell which protects the tablet from scratches and bumps. Covers are typically made of a soft material that protects the screen from scratches.
What is a smart case for iPad?
A smart case for an iPad is a case or cover that turns on the Apple tablet when the front cover is opened and turns the tablet off when the cover is closed. Because this happens automatically, the user experiences the case as being intelligent, hence the term, “smart”.
Shopping for a Protective iPad Case
When choosing a protective iPad case, there are several key features to consider to ensure it adequately safeguards your device while meeting your specific needs. Here are the top features to look for in a protective iPad case:
• Drop and Impact Protection: Look for a case that offers excellent drop and impact protection. It should be able to absorb shocks and prevent damage if your Apple tablet is accidentally dropped.
• Precise Fit: Ensure that the case is designed to precisely fit your Apple tablet model. A well-fitting case provides maximum protection and easy access to all ports, buttons, and the camera.
• Full Coverage: Opt for a case that covers both the front and back of your Apple tablet to protect it from scratches and impacts. Many cases include a built-in screen protector for extra defense.
• Material Quality: Consider the material used in the case. Common materials include leather, rugged plastic, soft polymers, or a combination of these. High-quality materials enhance durability and protection.
• Accessibility: Ensure that the case allows easy access to all of your Apple tablet features, including the charging port, headphone jack, speakers, buttons, and camera. Some cases come with dust covers for these openings.
• Stand Functionality: If you use your Apple tablet for watching videos or making video calls, a case with stand functionality that offers multiple viewing angles can be useful.
• Apple Pencil Holder: If you have an Apple Pencil, look for a case that protects it while charging to keep it secure and easily accessible.
• Brand Reputation: Consider purchasing from reputable brands known for quality and customer support. Reading reviews and checking for warranties is also advisable.
• Price: Evaluate your budget. Protective cases are available in various price ranges, so choose one that offers the features you need.
By carefully assessing these features and your specific usage requirements, you can select a protective iPad case that effectively guards your device against damage while enhancing your overall iPad experience.
What Case Should I Get for My iPad?
The case you get for your iPad should depend on the level of protection needed, how you need the case to function, your budget and your sense of design. A student will have different needs for their case vs. an attorney. Choose the case that best fits your needs.
The choice of whether to use a case or which case to get may also depend on the specific Apple tablet model. Some models are more robust and rugged, while others are more delicate. Assess the durability of your Apple tablet when making a decision.
Smaller models like the Mini tend to be able to take more abuse without a case. We would recommend a quality case for the iPad Pro 12.9. This model is more prone to damage and even bending.
iPad Case with Pencil Holder
We are often asked if we make an iPad case with a Pencil holder. We do but in a different way. May folios that have pencil holders look like children's toys. They tend to be molded in colors and have a place to clip the Pencil into.
Our iPad case with a pencil holder is a bit more sophisticated than that. Our Pencil holder is actually a case that is part of our Magnetic Accessory System. There is a version of each of our leather iPad folios have has small, circular magnets as pert of the front cover design.
These are attachment points for accessories including our Pencil Holder. You iPad goes into the leather folio case. Your Pencil goes into the leather pencil holder. The Pencil Holder than attaches to the front of the case and it's there when you need it.
Overall, our solution to the leather iPad case with Pencil holder is different, much more elegant and much more professional than many of the alternative available.
The iPad Travel Case
Handcrafted from warm, richly inviting hides that smelled wonderful, our Folios could not have been more opposite of the digital precision that Apple's tablets represented. This relationship of opposites, between the warmth of our leather covers and the coolness of the Apple tablets, still exists to this day.
Traveling professionals and nomads alike are looking for a quality iPad travel case. This means a smart, rugged design, built to withstand the rigors of packing and unpacking, flight delays, and long stop-overs. Our leather iPad Pro case is all these and more.
The ethically sourced leather hides, the quality of the sewing, the materials chosen, the fit of the Apple tablet, and the protection provided all coalesce into something greater than the individual parts. This is the essence of product design done right. This is also something travelers tend to appreciate as well.
At MacCase, we feel that protecting the world's most expensive and best tablet computers encompasses something much more than moving widgets off the shelves. Building the world's best leather iPad Folio case for 11-inch and 12.9-inch Apple tablets is a passion for us.
The Designer iPad Case
If you're looking for a designer iPad case, there really is only one designer to consider. Michael Santoro is an automotive and product designer who founded MacCase in 1998. He is known for his innovative and timeless designs, which have been featured in publications such as The New York Times and the Detroit Free Press.
Santoro's designs for MacCase's leather iPad cases are made from high quality, full grain leather. They are designed to be both protective and elegant.
In addition to their stylish design, Santoro's iPad cases also offer a number of practical features. Many of his cases have built-in stands, which make it easy to prop up your Apple tablet for viewing or typing. Some cases also utilize his Magnetic Accessory System.
The system allows items such as papers, the Apple Pencil, and business cards to be added to the front cover of his designs. He is someone who is passionate about the quality of his products. This is reflected in the lifetime warranty offered on all MacCase Premium Leather models.
In a world where designer brands hawk bling-encrusted products barely function, it's nice to know a real designer iPad case is available to those who need their Apple tablet case to look good and work as well. If you are shopping for a designer iPad case, a case designed by the man who invented the Apple-specific case market is the designer name you want on the back.
The Luxury iPad Case
Chinese manufacturers love to use the term "genuine leather". What most consumers don't understand is that if they do a search for "genuine leather iPad Pro 12.9 case", a vast majority of the results will be listings on amazon. Most of these listings will feature covers made from bonded leather, the cheapest "leather" available.
To the makers of these cases, bonded leather is genuine. The scraps of hide they mixed together with the resin, vinyl and other fillers were, at one point, from a genuine cow. They conveniently leave out 95% of the non-leather content that the case is made from.
These manufacturers have ruined the term genuine leather the same way marketeers ruined email outreach. The moral of the story is if you want a real, luxury iPad case made from real leather, stay as far away from genuine leather as you can.
The ethically sourced leather hides we use are vegetable-dyed (much more expensive and much more environmentally friendly than chemically dyed hides). They are either full or top grain and some of the best available. This is the hallmark of a luxury iPad case.
Our hides are sourced from ex-dairy cows and when their milk-giving days are done they are put out to pasture to live out the rest of their natural lives. Once they pass, the hides become available.
This process is the most humane way we could find to source our leather. After the hides are tanned and cut, the panels are assembled very slowly, by hand, one at a time. This handmade quality is another luxury touch you can feel.
And if that was not enough, we use contrasting white thread on the curved panels that highlight our obsessive level of quality in every stitch. You cannot put a white stitch on a brown or black panel unless every stitch is perfect. This practice is done on the interiors of the world's most prestigious luxury cars and furniture for the same reason.
How Do You Install or Remove an iPad From a Leather Case?
It depends. Different manufacturers use different methods to hold your Apple tablet in their case. Some use elastic bands. Others use glue. The most protective designs use a polymer tray to secure the iPad to the case.
What method is used will dictate how easy the tablet is to remove or install. Check with the manufacturer to see how easy it is to install and remove your tablet from their design before you purchase.
As the bezels around the screens of Apple's tablets have gotten thinner and thinner, a secure, protective and elegant solution was required for holding the device in the case. The MacCase polymer tray does this job brilliantly.
Q. Are all iPads the same size for cases?
A. No, all iPads are not the same size for cases. iPads have had several generations, models and various sizes since their debut in 2010. To find which case fits your Apple tablet, do a search using the serial number on the back of the tablet and then find a case to match.
iPad Pro 12.9 Leather Case
One of the confusing things about Apple's tablet assortment is which generation is which. The Pro 12.9 is now in its 6th generation. The changes to this 6th generation 12.9 model are subtle and nothing like the wholesale changes that occurred when going from Gen 2 to Gen 3.
The changes from the 2nd to 3rd generation tablet included the minimizing of the bezel around the screen. This was paired with the total elimination of the home button. If your 12.9 doesn't have a home button and you purchased it before March 2020, you have a 3rd generation model.
The 4th generation model continued this trend with a new, complex camera system. For 2021, Apple further refined its largest tablet adding the revolutionary M1 chipset. All MacCase collection and product pages list which Apple tablet each case is designed for.
The Leather iPad Air Case
This generational system holds true for the other Apple tablet models as well. If you're looking for a leather iPad Air case for the current generation model, then you'll need a 5th gen cover. Luckily, our current iPad Air leather cover also fits the older, 4th gen model as well. You can see how this can quickly spiral into confusion.
MacCase uses both the year and the generation when listing our iPad Pro leather case models on our website. This is to help make sure you purchase the right protective cover. If you do choose one of our leather iPad Air or iPad Pro cases, you are joining a long line of Apple tablet users who have chosen the best iPad Pro case over the last 13 years.
