Speck goes glam with new iPhone 5 cases
The new SmartFlex cases have shimmering exteriors -- and the company has more new iPhone 5 and iPod Touch cases arriving soon.
- Maggie Award for Best Regularly Featured Web Column/Consumer
While Apple is rumored to be just a few months away from releasing a new iPhone -- or iPhones, depending on what you believe -- accessory makers are still busy releasing new cases for Apple's existing products.
Speck reps stopped by our offices in New York to show off some of their new products, which also included iPod Touch cases and early samples of Samsung Galaxy S4 cases.
The company is highlighting the SmartFlex Shine, a shimmering "fashion-forward" case that's more flexible than Speck's CandyShell cases and easier to get on and off your phone. The reps said the company had patented the design.
The SmartFlex Shine comes in Pearled White, Envied Green, and Tickled Pink (while I'm not much of a shimmering case kind of guy, I was partial to the green). There's also a standard SmartFlex, which is a flashier version of the PixelSkin HD.
Speck is also set to release a lighter, more flexible iPhone 5 version of the CandyShell Card (it allows you to store up to three credit cards in a side-loading slot), as well as the CandyShell Edge case, which has more-rounded edges than previous CandyShell cases.
I also got an early look at the SkeleShell, a new case for the iPod Touch 5G. It has a softer, more gummy feel than many of the other Speck cases. However, it has a hard plastic "skeleton" suspended inside its translucent rubber exterior, which gives it an eye-catching look that should appeal to kids who are a big target market of the Touch (yes, the various versions match the various iPod colors).
As for pricing, you're looking at the usual $34.95 to $39.95 Speck pricing on these cases, which is more than some of us would like to spend on a case. The SmartFlex Shine and CandyShell Card are available now on speckproducts.com, and the other cases will be available in May and June.
