Saiful Viper

Maybe this appreciation comes from an interest in mechanical watches; seemingly outdated devices for this millennium, also objects that chip, scratch and age with grace. There’s nostalgia looking at a well-loved object – a timepiece, a beaten-up leather jacket – and appreciating the imperfections. The wear and tear holds within one’s story and relationship with the object. If that materialist metaphor muddles minds, then think of patina as the wrinkles we develop over a long-term relationship. I'm not as sharp and slick as I once was, but my face tells a story of time well-spent and lessons learned. Am I putting too much weight on (ironically) stained stainless steel? Of course, but it's Friday evening and there's time for such fancy, flippant frivolity. Do I think we'd benefit if the iPhone 16 returns to stainless steel? Of course not – I’ve already waxed lyrically about titanium on phones. There is a small part of me that’ll miss the patination found on my iPhone

After swapping to the rather impressive iPhone 15 Pro Max earlier this year, time was called on my venerable iPhone 13 Pro as I packed it up to be sent to my colleagues in the suitably-patinated historical city of Bath. During this process, my iPhone caught the light spilling in from the office windows on one of the rare sunny days that London can enjoy.

After swapping to the rather impressive iPhone 15 Pro Max earlier this year, time was called on my venerable iPhone 13 Pro as I packed it up to be sent to my colleagues in the suitably-patinated historical city of Bath. During this process, my iPhone caught the light spilling in from the office windows on one of the rare sunny days that London can enjoy.

The word ‘Patina’ is pleasant to say, but It’s not a word I thought I’d associate with an iPhone. Patina is the attractive mellowing effect of materials, especially metals, that discolor through age and exposure. It’s the green layer over copper that gives the Statue of Liberty a distinct look, and it gives the brass top plate on a Leica camera a satisfying appearance of natural wear.

In Settings > Action Button, swipe through the various actions you want the action button to perform when pressed. These are the actions you have available: Silent Mode (default): Switch between silent and ring mode. Focus: Turn on your main Focus mode, like Do Not Disturb. Flashlight: Turn on your rear flashlight. Voice Memo: Record an audio note. Magnifier: Use your camera as a magnifying glass. Shortcut: Trigger a shortcut you've downloaded or created. Accessibility: Use an accessibility feature of your choosing.