iPad Pro Leather Cases - Behind the Design

The latest in a series of interviews about the story behind the design of MacCase products.

For this interview, we are again speaking to MacCase President and Chief Creative Officer Michael Santoro about the company's new iPad Pro Leather Cases, specifically the new Folios for the 12.9 and 9.7 Apple tablets.

JKD: You've been designing and MacCase has been making folio style cases for Apple iPads since day one. How has the introduction of the iPad Pro changed your thinking about Folio design?

MS: Wow, that's a good question. The original Folio I did was very successful. It was a design that brought many new customers to MacCase and most are still with us to this day. Our original leather iPad case really planted a flag at the top of the mountain.

You had all these high end, fashion brands, famous European design houses that came out with cases that were over $500. Some were very nice and some were real pretenders. Many people were paying big dollars for a big brand name slapped on a mediocre case design. Our Folio showed you could have world class quality, world class materials, world class design for a fraction of the price of those fashion brands.

With each successive introduction of a new iPad form factor, we updated and improved our Folio design. As Apple added new features, so did we. For the new iPad Pro leather cases, both the 12.9 and 9.7 Folios, we have added and updated more new features than in any previous version. We have also had to respond, literally in the last few weeks, to new ways customers are using their Apple tablets. Those changes have been integrated into the new Folios as well.

We're very excited about the new features and how well our tried and true features have translated over to the new designs.

JKD: What features do the new Pro specific models have? Give us the details.

MS: The biggest and most obvious one is the inclusion for a place for the Apple Pencil. Creating a place, a pocket or other idea, was extremely important to how I approached the new Folio design. I have been told by many customers that we have the single best solution for storing and transporting the Pencil. That was the type of feedback every designer wants to hear.

"Yeah, you know that new feature that you designed into your new case, well, I've looked at what everyone else has done, and your is the best."

This was heard repeatedly as I answered calls and emails from customers looking for information about our products. It really feels good, especially with all that has happened with this program.

So the integration of the Pencil pocket into the front cover is the feature highlight for me. It looks likes it's always been there and the inclusion adds a nice design detail to the overall aesthetic we have developed. Most importantly, it does the job it was designed to do, which is to provide the best protection for the Pencil.

JKD: Any others?

MS: We've expanded our SoundBoard feature from the initial single speaker, to the dual speakers for the Air and Mini to a quad system for the iPad Pro 12.9 and 9.7. This is a feature I'm not sure many customers are even aware exists. They just think it's the iPad that sounds so good ( laughing).
JKD: Can you elaborate?

MS: Yes, the new quad speaker system of the Pro model sounds great. But, when you put the tablet in a case, the cases tend to block or muffle the sound. Most people respond to this by cranking the volume to get the volume they wanted without the case being in the way.

With our iPad Pro leather cases, we use a very hard, smooth leather that doesn't absorb the sound waves. In fact, the hard, smooth surface does just the opposite. It bounces and amplifies the sound waves, projecting them out and away from the case.

The benefit of this is, say you like the volume 6 clicks above mute. You place your Pro in a case from brand "X" and the sound is muffled. So you have to boost the volume level to 8 or 9 clicks to get the same volume you were using without the case.

With our iPad Pro leather cases, you can actually drop the volume level a click or 2 and get the same level of volume that you had without the case. Lower volume level means less energy needed means longer battery life between charges. Yes, it a small thing, but in a premium, luxury and professional level case, it's those things that make a big difference.

Look at cars. Both Rolls Royce and Kia have an engine, 4 wheels, a place to sit, etc. Why is one $30K and another $300K? It's what Rolls Royce does with the engine, wheels, place to sit, etc. that makes it 100 times better.

LIke Rolls Royce, how we handle the details reflects our commitment do doing things better, smarter and more intelligently. Maybe with a bit more passion as well. I think our customers appreciate this about what we do. Not just with our iPad Pro leather cases, but all our designs try to do something different, smart with a palatable passion that is present in each stitch.

JKD: You mentioned a recent addition or adjustment to the Folio design. Can you tell us more about that?

MS: Once we started shipping the new 12.9 Folios, a few customers wrote back to tell us they loved the case but they could not access the controls and the notification screens in the horizontal position.

Our frame design allows for access to these areas that are just off the actual screen in the vertical or portrait position but, as we found out, not in the horizontal. This was something that had never come up before but we didn't waste a second reacting and implementing a solution.

Both the new 9.7 and the second production run of the 12.9 iPad Pro Folios will have additional indents in the center area of the frame to allow for access to the control and notification centers when in the horizontal position. I'm very proud of how quickly we were able to respond and implement these important changes.

My goal is to keep our Folios, and all our models really, at the forefront of design and functionality. We want to be the go to product for the professional iPad Pro user. Apple users are the most demanding customers and they are quick to let us know if there is a problem. I am happy to report we have been just as quick to respond.

Another thing I wanted to say about this is that, if you don't use the controls or notification center, especially in the horizontal position, you'll never miss not having the new indents. This seems to be the case for the majority of our 12.9 Folio customers.

But I did have one customer who told me he spends 80 of his user time in horizontal or landscape mode. So for him, not having access to those screens was a deal breaker.

JKD: So how did you resolve it?

MS: I sent him a photo of the second generation 12.9 Folio with the indents in the frame on full display and he loved it. Getting that kind of feedback for us it priceless. Our customers are great at letting me know when I've hit it out of the park or, like in this instance, just missed something. But again, it's how we responded that made all the difference.

JKD: Is there anything else you'd like to add about the new MacCase Premium Leather iPad Pro cases?

MS: I know a lot of folks have waited a long time for the Folios to arrive and it seems like just as many have been waiting for the other three models, our iPad Pro Flight Jacket, Sleeve and Briefcase to get here. The 3 new models are scheduled to ship at the end of this month. So they are coming. I just wanted to thank everyone again for their patience.

I am enjoying reading all the 5 stars reviews that have been coming in for the iPad Pro leather cases. If you have yet to leave yours, please come back and do so. We'd love to know what you think.

JKD: Thank you again for your time.

MS: It's always a pleasure Jody.

"The new iPad Pro leather cases have added and updated more new features than in any previous version"

iPad Pro Leather Cases - Long Road to Delivery

 

It has been a difficult start to the year for everyone here at MacCase. Late last year we tried something new. With the best intentions, we put our new iPad Pro leather cases on a pre-order and it didn't quote work out the way we wanted it to.

Usually Apple releases their newest iPad models or makes changes to an existing model in October of a given year. We tend not to get access to the actual product for another few weeks after that. Apple does sort of a pre-order thing themselves.

They'll reveal new product, get the media buzz going, get the pre-orders coming in, and then ship a month later. One of the problems for MacCase is that we need the Apple hardware before we can begin of design and development process. There is typically a large offset between our potential customers seeing the new iPad from Apple and we having an actual piece of hardware to design to. So, right from the start we are behind the eight ball trying to play catch up.

Most times we can make up for that in the super efficient way we develop our new models. When you have been designing for Apple portables as long as MacCase has, and we've been doing it longer than anyone, we created the market, you get pretty good at some things. Compressing the product development cycle while still delivering a world class product is one of them.

So it was with this confidence we marched with our heads held high into the world of designing and building not one, not two, not three but 4 new premium leather iPad Pro cases for the 12.9 model. Combined with the 3 nylon models we were also working on, our iPad Pro case program was the largest new product initiative in our nearly 20 year history.

Now this is all well and good if your designing a product made by machines or some other automated process. Once you have everything set up and turn on the assembly line, widgets spring forth ready for sale.

This is not the case with handmade leather goods. So many factors that are outside of one's control impact what you can and cannot do or what you can and cannot deliver in a timely manner. This was the case for our new iPad Pro leather cases.

The program of 4 new models in two different colors all being developed at the same time proved too much for our small family tannery to handle. Yes we added staff but just because someone says they can sew or says they know who to cut leather does not mean they can do it to the MacCase standard.

MacCase has created a strong reputation with professional iPad users around the world for making the best iPad cases available. Our goal was to present equally excellent, world class cases, sleeves bags for the new iPad Pro. The last thing we wanted to do it put our reputation for the highest quality in jeopardy by trying to rush things.

Human beings have been making things by hand since, well, since we've been waking upright. As the centuries have passed, we have gotten increasingly better at making things but one thing has not changed over those centuries: Making things by hand takes time. Wanting to make things faster was the reason for industrial revolution. When the folks who right history call something a revolution, it's usually a pretty big thing.

Many people feel it's quite romantic that we are making hand made leather goods to protect and transport post-industrial, digital age products. Producing the best quality pieces we can is something we take very seriously and great pride in. The MacCase Premium Leather Collection can stand toe to toe with the leather goods from any manufacturer on the planet. We are obsessed about quality and design.

This is especially true when it comes our iPad Pro leather cases. Designing and building products for the iPad takes a special sensitivity and understanding of scale. This is why so many iPad cases are made from plastic or silicone. Molding things is much safer to do when things get small and tedious. Sewing things well, really well, at a small scale takes a great eyes and even greater patience. Again, it's something that can't be rushed.

When we put our new leather iPad Pro cases up for pre-order we did so using drawings. This was a first for MacCase and something we were a bit uneasy about doing. Who would order a $200+ product from a drawing? Moreover, things change in development. What if the finished products didn't look anything like the drawings? That could get awkward. Well the orders starting coming in anyway. Especially for our new leather iPad Pro Folio and leather iPad Pro Briefcase.

Drawings gave way to the images of the final prototypes and production began. Slowly and then, more slowly. Everything just took longer. The stress of having to do 4 new models at the same time took it's toll. Since the largest number of orders were for the new iPad Pro Folio, we concentrated on getting those finished first.

Orders for the new models continued to arrive. More hides were ordered for the production of the Briefcase, Flight Jacket and Sleeves. We had to reject the Vintage for not meeting our specification. It was too green. This set us back another month or so while new hides were tanned to our correct vintage specification.

In the meantime, the Folios were finished and shipped only to run head long into what has been the second longest wait for product to clear customs in company history.

Throughout all of this, our insanely patient customers have been waiting. Everyone at MacCase is truly humbled and forever grateful for every single customer who placed their order with us and has waited. And waited. And waited some more. As a product company whose purpose it is to ship real products, not being able to do so undermines the purpose of our existence. It's an existential crisis for us.

We hope that in the coming days an email will go out to everyone who is waiting. This email will let them know product has arrived. Their long awaited iPad Pro leather cases are in stock and shipping. That will be a good day. Moreover, we plan on doing something very special to thank our Premium Leather customers who have stuck with us during this time. If you are one if them, everyone here sincerely thanks you.

"We put our new iPad Pro leather cases on a pre-order and it didn't quote work out the way we wanted it to"

iPad Pro Leather Cases - They Are Finally Shipping!

After what seemed like an eternity, our Premium Leather iPad Pro cases, the long awaited 12.9 Folio models, were finally delivered this week. It has been a long time coming. I am proud and happy to say that they look beautiful and work wonderfully. 

As mentioned in a previous post, this has been the toughest, most difficult and longest gestation period of any new product program we have ever done. Part of that is our fault. Part of the problem was at the tannery and part was the long review process by US Customs which did a full inspection on our inbound shipment. 

Our hope is that all the Premium Leather iPad Pro cases we are shipping out will be well received by both their new owners and their 12.9 tablets. A customer who ordered our both our Premium Leather Briefcase and our new iPad Pro 12.9 Folio wrote to tell us,

"I wanted to let you know that the briefcase and the iPad Pro case arrived and they are both exceptional quality. I haven’t played with them much yet but at first glance, they look and feel top notch!  Thanks much. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning!"

Take care,

Adam L

The 12.9 iPad Pro is Apple's largest model and designing a Folio for it proved to be one of the biggest challenges in the history of our design studio. The feedback we have gotten so far is that our solution for storing and protecting the Apple Pencil in the best in the market.

Our design provides true protection, not just a place hold the Pencil when it's not in use. At $100 a pop, protecting and storing the Apple Pencil is something that should not be taken lightly if you are someone who owns or plans on owning one.

Our Premium Leather iPad Pro cases insure that your Pencil is protected and will be there when you need it. Our Pencil pocket does not interfere with using the Folio if you don't have the Pencil. The pocket is seamlessly integrated into the front cover. 

Along with the Pencil pocket, the new 12.9 design features our SoundBoard 2.0 sound enhancement system. This is an exclusive feature that allows you to set the volume to a lower setting without a loss of the volume level you would like, saving battery life. 

Many of the features that MacCase iPad Folios are famous for are also present in the 12.9 model. The stamped alloy-steel frame that holds the tablet in place is present along with the black ultra-seude material that covers it. The ultra-seude feels wonderful to touch, is very durable and absorbs so much of the surrounding light that when you open the case, all you see is screen. 

The rear tab that allows the case to be folded into movie and typing modes has also made the transition to the larger size. All these features are only as good as the care and passion that goes into putting them all together. And nobody puts more care and passion into our products than MacCase. 

Since inventing the premium case market for Apple portables in 2007, MacCase has set the standard for quality, design, craftsmanship and durability. Many of the original models we shipped in the first year of production are still in the field. This is something everyone here is very proud of. This tradition continues with the iPad Pro 12.9 cases. 

We hope that all the customers whose Folios will be arriving shortly come back to our site and leave a review. You can do that here. Just scroll down to the section where the reviews start. In the upper right hand corner click on the text link "Write a Review" ands tell the world your story. I am sure potential customers for our Premium Leather iPad Pro cases would love to hear your opinions and experiences. 

So now that the Folios are in stock and shipping, what's next? Well, we have all the very kind and patient customers who are waiting for all our other iPad Pro 12.9 models to deliver for. These include our iPad Pro Flight Jacket, Briefcase and Sleeve. These models are being finished up and we hope to have them soon. 

Coming on the heels of the 12.9 Folios will be our Premium Leather iPad Pro cases for the 9.7 model. This 9.7 Folio is undergoing testing now and production will start shortly. This model was relatively easy to develop as it's basic size is the same as the iPad Air 2 Folio we currently produce. It will feature the same industry leading Pencil pocket as it's 12.9 big brother and our Soundboard feature designed to enhance the Pro's quad speaker system. 

But first things first. Now that we have the 12.9 Folios, we need to make sure the rest of the Pro models arrive as soon as possible for those customers who are waiting. Once again, thank you for everyone who stuck with us and who continues to stick with us during this period. Everyone at MacCase looks forward to the day when all the backorders are filled. 

"Our hope is that all the Premium Leather iPad Pro cases will be well received by their new owners"