Apple is likely planning to discontinue all of its silicone rubber, fluoroelastomer, and leather accessories, replacing them with ones made of more eco-friendly materials, MacRumors reports.
Hartley Charlton for MacRumors:
The move is expected to include accessories such as the iPhone Silicone Case with MagSafe, Sport Band, Solo Loop, and AirTag Loop.
Apple is widely expected to discontinue its leather iPhone cases following the introduction of the iPhone 15 lineup, replacing them accessories made with a premium material marketed as “FineWoven.” The discontinuation of silicone accessories is not expected to be imminent, instead taking place via a more gradual transition whereby existing models are not refreshed with new color options. For example, Sport Band may not be refreshed with new color options following the launch of the Apple Watch Series 9, being available until supplies of the current units run out. Apple is expected to release new accessory designs, such as a “FineWoven” Apple Watch band with a magnetic buckle, to replace its outgoing products.
The discontinuation of all leather and silicone Apple accessories is believed to be part of a wider move to transition to more environmentally friendly materials.
[A]head of Apple’s iPhone and Apple Watch event on September 12, long-time Apple Watch partner Hermès has removed all mentions of the wearable and compatible bands from its website. This could mean it may be a quick shift for the Apple Watch away from leather. And is it the end of the luxury design house’s partnership with Apple?
MacDailyNews Take: Those who prefer long-lasting leather, silicone, and/or fluoroelastomer iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands will, of course, continue to have myriad third-party options.
See also: Don’t hide your meticulously designed iPhone in a case
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How many of these environmentally friendly accessories will have petroleum somewhere in its manufacturing? And how well will these things last?
And, I highly doubt even one fewer cow will be “sacrificed” because of Tim’s decision. After all, the huge consumption of beef will not stop. What are we (humans) going to do with all those hides? Use them for “eco-friendly” compost, and substitute it with a manufactured material with a higher energy penalty?
Nailed it! There is no more “eco friendly” material than Leather. So it would be “better” to not use the entire beef?
That’s why they tried to push us into eating bugs. But it didn’t work!
Only tried? Maybe will try again or continuing to try?
With the ingenuity of American engineers, they should come up with recycling methods, just like they did for aluminum for Mac products. Entire product lines are made from recycled macs. That is the power, not caving to “environmentalists” who believe they know how to run the human race into the ground.
A business has a right to sell whatever products it desires. Typically, what they sell is conditioned in part by what the customers want to buy.
Has Apple discerned that their customer base no longer wants long-lasting leather, silicone, and/or fluoroelastomer iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands? If not, then this smacks of Apple’s manipulation of their customers into their own view of environmentalism. If true, this is an example of social engineering by corporations.
Apple! Just shut up!! Make insanely great products and trust your customers to do the right thing.
The only thing insanely great here the the hubris of the Silicon Valley elites.
The cynic-mind thinks this has as much to to with bottome-line than anything. Reminded me of the cable/charger that Apple stopped including with a new iPh…another bottom-line factor couched in green.
More silicone valley “feel good” virtue signaling nonsense.
I’m gonna wear my environmentally unfriendly Sport Band to my local non-vegetarian steakhouse this weekend just to spite Apple
I want Apple to make cases out of the exoskeletons of invasive insects.
Woke,
Wake up. You’re sleeping.
This mentality is indicative of the stupidity that is being pushed on everyone. I’m sorry, but carnivores and meat based dieters are NOT going to stop eating animals. Period. Furthermore, there is no evidence that humans should STOP eating animals. Optimal protein intake shuts the book on any assumptions to the contrary. Furthermore, tests submitted for public opinion from those in the community COUNTER the BS peddled by the globalist vegetarian communities. In contrast, there are very few long term vegetarians that remain on the diet, without eventually succumbing to health issues.
And the final nail in the coffin, global sequestration of carbon is BEST done via soil restoration, which is optimized via regenerative farming of cattle and other ruminants. In contract, tilling of land, to plant crops destroys the soil. We can only repeat that nonsense for roughly another 50 years as it is.
So we need ruminants, which will produce leather, and with all the big bucks Apple has, they “should” know all sides of this argument and realize that they are wrong.
Facts don’t matter to ideologues, and Apple is run and staffed by droves of them. So…
This is an excellent move by Apple. It shows corporations can be guided by consequences other than the bottom line. It produces pressure on competitors to do the same. We are witnessing the effects of decades of ignored and often opposed warnings. We have little time to act, and every little bit helps.
Reality is the opposite of your wet dream. Apple did this because it isn’t enough of a profit generator. They’d never just stop it and state that. They’ll get whatever prog brownie points they can and pat themselves on the back while cutting an insufficiently profitable market segment.
“We have little time to act” until what, exactly?
“Little time to act”….until we die. Al Gore, AOC and Greta…all wise prognosticators and astute scientists of the 21st Cent, have said time is nigh (AL’s prediction of demise is approaching a a near decade of tardiness. Oh well.).
If true, as an Apple shareholder it makes me sad I’ll be spending my money at another company for what I’ve bought from Apple since the start.
ECO Madness and Delusional Democrats go hand in hand. Again
I wonder how many of the commenters here have been to a slaughterhouse? I’d wager very few.
From a kid I grew up on a farm, we killed all our animals ourselves for meat. It became my job at 15 to do sheep, cattle, pigs, chickens, you name it. Take it from the paddock to the plate.
I thought, growing up, that was normal.
At 25, I went vegan overnight.
That was 33 years ago.
I don’t push it on anyone, just don’t take advice from people who aren’t one bit connected with where their food comes from.
Bravo Apple for having some balls, as someone above stated, every little bit helps.
Finally, an intelligent comment.
Finally, a non-cultist comment.
Tim Cook, Steve’s worst mistake.
Well we should at least take comfort that Apple doesn’t have an S & M division.