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blcamp

macrumors 6502
May 16, 2012
277
610
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
I typically just get a $20 soft “plastic” (TPU or TPU-ish) case off Amazon, such as this one I currently have on my 14 Pro. Looks good (to me) and does a decent job of protecting it when it falls.


IMG_1048.jpeg
 
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Contact_Feanor

macrumors regular
Jun 7, 2017
248
738
Belgium
Agreed. But I feel like the leather they are using is waste from food products rather than animals being killed for iPhone.
Lol, I love how you can "feel" this.

Usually leather is from veal; since they won't have any scars from wounds that may devalue the leather with markings. The price of the leather is, pound-for-pound, the most expensive part of the cow (about 10% of its value). In many markets, veal meat is the by-product; the skin is the real money-item. Scarring and wounds is also why most milk/meat animals aren't used for leather production. However, you could consider it a by-product of the milk-industry. To have the cow keep giving milk, she needs to have a calve every now and then. Breeding the cow = a calf to slaughter for its skin + milk to sell from the mother. In that way, yes: the animals are literally bred for their skin (and milk).
 

jz0309

Contributor
Sep 25, 2018
10,189
26,663
SoCal
I’ve always used leather cases for my iPhone, then with the 13PM I got a clear case cause I liked the sierra blue, however, those cases don’t hold up so I’ve already decided I’ll do leather again for my next iPhone - now, if this indeed comes true that Apple won’t offer leather cases, this will be another reason to not upgrade this year…

Another dumb move by Apple
 
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ProfessionalFan

macrumors 603
Sep 29, 2016
5,829
14,788
Lol, I love how you can "feel" this.

Usually leather is from veal; since they won't have any scars from wounds that may devalue the leather with markings. The price of the leather is, pound-for-pound, the most expensive part of the cow (about 10% of its value). In many markets, veal meat is the by-product; the skin is the real money-item. Scarring and wounds is also why most milk/meat animals aren't used for leather production. However, you could consider it a by-product of the milk-industry. To have the cow keep giving milk, she needs to have a calve every now and then. Breeding the cow = a calf to slaughter for its skin + milk to sell from the mother. In that way, yes: the animals are literally bred for their skin (and milk).
Please share your source on this.
 
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MTD's Mac

macrumors 6502
Mar 18, 2010
322
308
Los Angeles
I've had positive experiences with Apple leather cases, negative ones with silicone (cracking, chipping, etc.) over the years.

Mostly though, I've been amazed that throughout its environmental and ethical discussions, Apple hasn't brought up animal rights issues. I'd love to see them talk at length about how vegan leather reduces carbon emissions and doesn't require animals to die, and transition all phone cases, watch bands (even Hermes), MagSafe wallet, etc. to vegan leather. Prices can stay the same and profit margins would probably rise. This could set up a premium vegan leather interior for Apple Car too.
 

nathansz

macrumors 65816
Jul 24, 2017
1,268
1,452
Soy plastic? keep your rats away.

neighbor has rats eat through the wire insulation on his tesla because they use soy plastic insulation. Rats love it

That’s not real

“The myth that car wiring is being eaten by mice and other rodents due to the industry’s ubiquitous use of modern wiring that contains soy has been discounted by experts who have been in the auto industry the longest. In his most recent Car Talk column, master mechanic Ray Magliozzi* (pronounced Mal-Yotsee) says there is no evidence linking the covering formulation of wires today and the rodent damage that has been happening since the dawn of the automobile.”

 

k1121j

Suspended
Mar 28, 2009
1,729
2,764
New Hampshire
It would be interesting to know just how many of these cases they sold over the years and how many cows had to die as a result?

From what I understand, the leather for this stuff is not derived from cows slaughtered for meat anyway but rather from cows specifically raised for this purpose - and usually in SE Asia under sometimes questionable conditions.

Also, I still see product recalls for leather products due to increased level of hexavalent chromium, so I'm not too keen on real leather either anymore (and I'm not vegetarian...).

Additionally, their push into India (where people think differently...about cows) might be helped by this is just all cases are vegan and there is no chance someone accidentally buys a leather-case - same reason a lot of people from that region only eat in vegetarian restaurants because only there can they be sure to never eat the "wrong" kind of meat...
Well that's inaccurate its leathers are from Europe
 

ProfessionalFan

macrumors 603
Sep 29, 2016
5,829
14,788
That’s not real

“The myth that car wiring is being eaten by mice and other rodents due to the industry’s ubiquitous use of modern wiring that contains soy has been discounted by experts who have been in the auto industry the longest. In his most recent Car Talk column, master mechanic Ray Magliozzi* (pronounced Mal-Yotsee) says there is no evidence linking the covering formulation of wires today and the rodent damage that has been happening since the dawn of the automobile.”

I can post up several sources saying the opposite though. Whatever TorqueNews is, is just one source claiming that.
 
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klky

macrumors 6502
Oct 30, 2015
406
751
I’m surprised nobody mentioned how bad the leather cases look after some time on the MagSafe charger. I like the look and feel of the leather cases when new but they simply do not fare well with MagSafe. Hopefully they come up with something similar to the look and feel but more durable.
 

ProfessionalFan

macrumors 603
Sep 29, 2016
5,829
14,788
I’m surprised nobody mentioned how bad the leather cases look after some time on the MagSafe charger. I like the look and feel of the leather cases when new but they simply do not fare well with MagSafe. Hopefully they come up with something similar to the look and feel but more durable.
Same thing happens with the silicone cases and my third party cases as well.
 

Chidoro

macrumors regular
Dec 29, 2016
127
94
I have found that, of late, the quality of the leather cases has not been anywhere near the quality in the past. I am typing this on my work 8+ with a 6 year old leather case on and it hasn’t peeled or worn through. Both, my 12PM and 14PM leather cases didn’t even make it 9 months. They were far thinner and got worn through to the plastic underneath.

Maybe this change to synthetic will bring back some of that durability.
 
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