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Comment by ceejayoz | Hacker News Reader

Just call it a "patina" "further enhancing the natural look".

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204172

> The leather iPhone case is made from natural leather. Its appearance will change as you use it. It might acquire a patina and might change color due to the oils from your skin and direct sunlight, further enhancing the natural look.

(I have one. Most of my "patina" is bits peeling off; I regret the purchase.)

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Not to blindly defend Apple here (it sounds like the case is shoddy), but I think there's a distinction here: they're trying to preempt people returning the case because of a normal leather patina, not because it's falling apart.

Not to blindly defame Apple, but this sounds exactly like the kind of spin they would use to paper over a shoddy product.

Leather Patina being desirable is a centuries long tradition and marker of authenticity.

If we had a centuries long expectation of rust being desirable, then Tesla would have a point

There's patina, and there's peeling. Tesla seems to be aiming for the latter, while calling it the former.

Yeah, the latest Apple leather cases are thinly-veneered crap. The cases used to be great, and would actually develop a patina. The current generation is as described: chunks just fall off.

I do not believe there _are_ "latest Apple leather cases". Apple does not make leather cases anymore as of last year.

correct. the previous two generations of leather cases were the cheapest leather i've ever seen for iPhones outside or PPU leather. The cases before that were much higher quality.

Well, leather is leather. Of course there will be changes in its' appearance over time. What did you expect?

I did not expect half of the leather to peel off.

That is not the same thing as patina, which is a real but different thing.

Are you sure? Apple failed to make any distinction between the two.

I've owned several. (and am sad I'll never buy another)

Aside from hard drops, I've never had that experience. My current one has worn down a bit where my finger usually rests on the back, but the leather is fully intact.

Any chance you may have gotten ahold of a fake one? I've seen several online which have very convincing packaging, like this eBay listing:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/355320108334

> Any chance you may have gotten ahold of a fake one?

Not unless store.apple.com got MITMed. Someone else on the thread says they changed materials at some point; maybe you have one of the originals?

My current one is from the last year they made them, for the 14 Pro Max.

None of this has anything to do with the Tesla Cybertruck.

I fully expect Tesla to similarly talk about how the Cybertruck will acquire a patina and that such a thing is entirely expected.

Not all leather is equal. Sounds like Apple is using cheap split grain or bonded leather.

https://www.popovleather.com/blogs/from-the-workshop/the-ult...

I thought your link was going to be about the metal Apple Card, which could be discolored by denim or leather. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-49435687

On the other hand, I have a cheap Apexel leather-backed case for my old iPhone X.

Black plastic (polyurethane, maybe?), metal top panel across the top the height of the camera bulge, and a padded red leather back.

I bought it used on eBay (because I needed a case with a 17mm accessory lens mount to quickly test a lens). It arrived with a scratch, and then over the course of my owning it began to resemble more and more a lovely beaten up leather sofa.

I have never owned a phone case even half as good, and were it not for MagSafe I'd be hunting one down for my current 12. It's superbly comfortable to hold, and the way it shows wear is unlike anything else I've seen. Super cool.

The microweave case I got with the 15 Pro is also of poor quality. Started peeling off within a month. Also, it’s just a poor design. My skin oil and other stuff gets caught in the fabric. So I need to scrub it periodically.

Just call it "Lenny Kravitz Edition" and charge double?

https://lavidaleica.com/content/lenny-kravitz-edition-leica-...

These cases are bad. It does not mean that leather objects developing patina is bullshit. Same for metals. Patina is actually something that can be desirable.

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