Mapicases Brings Leather to the iPad mini and iPhone 5

Mapicases has unveiled a ton of new products in its collection of leather gadget bags and accessories at CES 2013. Known for its hand stitching and use of fine leather, those looking for an elegant look for their Apple devices may love the new items. Most of the company’s basic products come in five different colors: tan, brown, black, white and red. Mapicases makes accessories for both Apple and Samsung products as well as laptops of all sizes, but it was the new Apple products that really caught our eye.

Mapicases announced an iPad mini version of its popular Orion series, which currently has models available for the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5 and iPad. This case has a magnetic folding cover, just like Apple’s own Smart Cover, but with a swivel hinge that allows for use in either portrait or landscape mode. There’s a slight texture to the leather and it felt like the product would last a long time.

The two other products we checked out were so new they haven’t been named yet. The first was an iPhone 5 case that folds open like a book. There’s a rectangular peephole on the front flap that lines up perfectly with the caller ID when receiving a phone call or the clock when viewing the lock screen. The case added a little extra bulk, but it was relatively lightweight and we liked the smooth leather.

Lastly is a new folio-style case for the iPad mini, also unnamed. There’s a zipper around the perimeter so you don’t need to worry about anything scratching your screen while your iPad mini is in your bag. The inside of the case features space for business cards or a few small notes. This folio-style case had the most padding protection of the three cases we held, with plenty of smooth leather encasing the device.

There’s no release date set for any of these cases, but we were told that all three should be available in about six weeks. The Orion case will be priced at $150, but the other two are still awaiting pricing. The iPad mini folio, however, should be in the ballpark of $150, but the price of the iPhone 5 case is still pending.