Oh the life of an iPhone case manufacturer. You make an accessory for one of the most secretive technology companies around. They don't trust you so you don't get early information, making it a mad scramble to have products available soon after the gadget is launched. With the iPhone 4, things got messy.
On the one hand, the 'misplaced' iPhone 4 prototype gave case makers (and the rest of us) a glimpse into the potential iPhone 4 design. It had a glass back so case makers must have been delighted that their cases would be needed for protection.
However, Apple didn't initially confirm the design was theirs or that it was final. In the end, the design was accurate. It wasn't easy to get exact measurements but it did give case makers a fighting chance to be ready at launch.
On the other hand, for the first time, Apple introduced an iPhone case, or "bumper", making Apple the odds-on favorite for consumers, with first-hand product knowledge and convenient distribution channels.
On the other hand, Apple couldn't make bumpers fast enough, and the bumpers didn't protect the entire iPhone, leaving an opening for third parties. Speck and Hard Candy were among the first with iPhone 4 cases that do indeed protect the back.
Then came "Antennagate" which made the case for using a case to avoid interfering with the antenna. But as part of Apple's response, they offered a free bumper to all iPhone 4 customers, immediately putting a damper on third party case purchases.
However, since Apple cannot meet the demand using bumpers, they will subsidize specific third party cases. Details will be out within a week, but a likely guess is whichever models are sold at the Apple store, and up to a specific price point.
So, the iPhone 4 needs a case more than ever, for protection and reception, and you can get one free, but only from a short list. My heart goes out to the case vendors, and I hope it works out for everyone!
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