Apple's new iPad mini cover swaps plastic-like finish for fabric, costs $79

Apple has announced a new cover for the new iPad mini, and it is made of fabric. The TechWoven Smart Folio costs $79 in the U.S. It is the first iPad cover Apple has made from woven fabric. It replaces the polyurethane design, a smooth, plastic-like material, that Apple has used for years.

What changed

The new Smart Folio costs $20 more than the previous one. It comes in two colors, Navy Blue and Taupe, which match the iPad mini's Midnight and Starlight finishes. Apple also redesigned it with two panels. It attaches with magnets and can be set at several viewing angles. Apple says this gives a greater range of motion and new viewing angles.

Apple has not announced a polyurethane alternative. According to MacRumors, that would make this the first iPad since the original in 2010 to launch without a polyurethane cover option from Apple. Apple introduced the material with the iPad 2 Smart Cover in 2011.

What happens next

Pre-orders open Wednesday, October 28, alongside the iPad mini. The cover ships Friday, November 6.

Several things are not known yet. The material does not say what the cover costs outside the U.S. It also does not say whether Apple will add a cheaper or polyurethane version later, or how the fabric holds up over time.