Cure your smartphone addiction with the methaphone.
Arielle Pardes from WIRED (also News+ link):
Eric Antonow was in a coffee shop with his family when he felt the familiar, twitchy urge to reach for his phone. He patted his pockets for relief—the cool, thin slab was still there. He joked to his family that, like an addict jonesing for a hit, he would one day need a medical-grade solution to detox from his phone. Opioid addicts had methadone. iPhone addicts would need … methaphones.
“It was a joke, but I got two laughs from my two teenagers, which is gold,” Antonow says. “I was like, ‘I’m going to commit to the bit.’”
Here’s a description from the product page at Mindless Toys:
For 60 years, heroin addicts have used methadone to help break their addiction. Now you can step down your dependency on your mobile device with this: methaphone.
Leave your phone without the cravings or withdrawalWe carry our phones everywhere. It feels strange and unsettling when we can't feel them. We twitch, worried we've lost something.
methaphone can help you manage cravings and withdrawal symptoms. It can fill that hole in your back pocket. It can fill that hole in your hand. Opioid addicts have used methadone to help step down from dependency, and now you have this.
The product does look impressive.
Liquid Glass to the next level.
Although the website is obviously a gag like rentahitman.com, I would say the analogy is more like:
smartphone is to methaphone as an antidepressant is to placebo.
Arielle Pardes from WIRED (also News+ link):
Eric Antonow was in a coffee shop with his family when he felt the familiar, twitchy urge to reach for his phone. He patted his pockets for relief—the cool, thin slab was still there. He joked to his family that, like an addict jonesing for a hit, he would one day need a medical-grade solution to detox from his phone. Opioid addicts had methadone. iPhone addicts would need … methaphones.
“It was a joke, but I got two laughs from my two teenagers, which is gold,” Antonow says. “I was like, ‘I’m going to commit to the bit.’”
Here’s a description from the product page at Mindless Toys:
For 60 years, heroin addicts have used methadone to help break their addiction. Now you can step down your dependency on your mobile device with this: methaphone.
Leave your phone without the cravings or withdrawalWe carry our phones everywhere. It feels strange and unsettling when we can't feel them. We twitch, worried we've lost something.
methaphone can help you manage cravings and withdrawal symptoms. It can fill that hole in your back pocket. It can fill that hole in your hand. Opioid addicts have used methadone to help step down from dependency, and now you have this.
The product does look impressive.
Liquid Glass to the next level.
Although the website is obviously a gag like rentahitman.com, I would say the analogy is more like:
smartphone is to methaphone as an antidepressant is to placebo.
The best water bottle for iPhone users.
Great landing page for the REEVUS Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle. Everything here makes sense and shows its capabilities well. I’ve been using this bottle for over two months now, and I have some points I would like to add for anyone who wants the perfect water bottle: 📓
Great landing page for the REEVUS Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle. Everything here makes sense and shows its capabilities well. I’ve been using this bottle for over two months now, and I have some points I would like to add for anyone who wants the perfect water bottle:
It really is very minimal with a cap, a bottle, and a Find My tracker. That’s it. Cleaning is simple and the wide mouth swallows even the biggest ice cubes with ease.
The diameter of the bottle is the same as the width of an iPhone 16 Pro Max. It is as tall as a 16 Pro Max and a pair of AirPods Pro vertically stacked on top of each other.
You see, the iPhone also has a measuring tool!
For car cup holders, it should fit most modern vehicles, but your mileage may vary. If your Pro Max device of choice fits your cupholder vertically, so should this bottle.
The landing page shows the phone on the MagSafe lid as a place for both creating and watching content, but it is also usable with the lid detached. This makes more sense since there’s nothing worse than having messy hands while watching content, only to realize you have to remove your phone, and open the lid to get a drink. Just remove the lid before eating, and now you can get your dose of YouTube (and your drink of choice) uninterrupted. The lid is on its side when watching content this way, so it won’t get dirty and contaminate your drink.
Watch content while keeping your lid clean.
The REEVUS tracker doesn’t have a replaceable battery, but it lasts 300 weeks (almost 6 years).
The MagSafe handle also works well for keeping your MagSafe compatible AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods 4 in a safe spot.
Comes with a spare magnetic ring that you can apply to your device or case, with neat little diagrams showing you exactly where to place the magnet depending on what phone you have.
The circular handle is just as sturdy as it was on day one which is assuring for long term durability.
Putting the tracker on and off the lid is my new fidget toy.
It’s taken some serious falls onto concrete but it only gives it more character and fits into that “journey” lifestyle.
Sure, it’s $90, but it is well worth it, especially since Journey is (seemingly) always running some sort of promo to give you 15-20% off. A much greater quality experience with useful features compared to those overhyped Stanleys.
If I were to buy this again, I would get the black bottle with the white and yellow cap. Just fun contrast with a hint of sunny side up eggs.
Can a clear case stain your iPhone?
The previous owner said in his device description:
Phone has been kept in the case since it was purchased new.
Damn right it was. 📓
I thought was just some dust or some sort of residue, but no matter what I tried to do, the stains wouldn’t come off. Even the case branding was faintly embossed onto the iPhone.
The evidence speaks for itself.
You can see the Spigen branding transferred over to the blue anodized aluminum on the iPhone 13 mini…
along with “Air cushion technology.”
Every side of the device has stains that are a direct result of the clear case being on the device for 3 years and 9 months. How do I know the case was on the device for 3 years and 9 months? The seller told me he had this case on since he bought the device brand new, and after looking up the serial number, it was purchased in September 2021.
I believe him.
Over time, the oxidation, UVA light, and heat got to the case giving it a yellow fade, and also transferring some of that tinge via a chemical reaction to the iPhone itself.
Maybe Apple can put these photos in a future version of “Designed by Apple in California,” and my phone could compete with Evans Hankey’s iPhone.
Although this particular case is less than 4 years old, the actual case was probably released alongside the iPhone 12 mini, making the chemical recipe of this case 5 years old. Case makers have gotten better since then, making clear cases that are less prone to turning yellow. Apple’s clear cases also change color after many years, but they haven’t left any stains on my phone nor my wife’s phone. My wife had a 12 Pro Max with an Apple clear case for almost four years, and no stains. Granted, her phone was made of stainless steel instead of aluminum. She does have a clear case on her aluminum iPhone 16 Plus, so we’ll see what happens after a few years.
You can clearly see (pun intended) the exposed parts of the phone were spared from staining.
Could this issue have been avoided with some good-old phone hygiene by taking the phone out of the case and cleaning it once a week? Even once a month? I would say yes. The fact is sweat and hand oils do get inside cases, and prolonged contact with heat and UV light will discolor it.
The irony of the situation is hilarious, since the phone was supposed to be protected by the case, and instead got permanently stained by it.
How I am preparing to test iOS 26 next week.
iOS 26 will be the biggest makeover since iOS 7, and if you remember those days, the first developer betas were brutal if you used them on your primary device. Our phones have become more and more a 3rd arm that we must have, and it isn’t wise to put any developer beta on your primary device.
At least the first few.
For that reason, I have obtained an iPhone 13 mini as my testing device, which I picked for several reasons:
I wanted to see how well optimized iOS 26 will be on Apple’s smallest screen.
I had an iPhone 12 mini in the past, and this will be a nice flashback to a more comfortable form factor.
The iPhone 13 mini supports FaceID in landscape among other improvements and is only a few bucks more expensive than an iPhone 12 mini.
I still use a physical SIM card, so I needed an iPhone with a physical SIM in case I decide to change primary devices. I flew to Canada to buy a 16 Pro Max last year to get the SIM slot version, so I can easily swap if needed. This way I have an easy out and won’t be stranded without cellular function no matter how unstable my phone is. There’s nothing worse than unstable beta software and trying to port your eSIM out to another phone.
Just a few more days to go!
iOS 26 will be the biggest makeover since iOS 7, and if you remember those days, the first developer betas were brutal if you used them on your primary device. Our phones have become more and more a 3rd arm that we must have, and it isn’t wise to put any developer beta on your primary device.
At least the first few.
For that reason, I have obtained an iPhone 13 mini as my testing device, which I picked for several reasons:
I wanted to see how well optimized iOS 26 will be on Apple’s smallest screen.
I had an iPhone 12 mini in the past, and this will be a nice flashback to a more comfortable form factor.
The iPhone 13 mini supports FaceID in landscape among other improvements and is only a few bucks more expensive than an iPhone 12 mini.
I still use a physical SIM card, so I needed an iPhone with a physical SIM in case I decide to change primary devices. I flew to Canada to buy a 16 Pro Max last year to get the SIM slot version, so I can easily swap if needed. This way I have an easy out and won’t be stranded without cellular function no matter how unstable my phone is. There’s nothing worse than unstable beta software and trying to port your eSIM out to another phone.
Just a few more days to go!
How Apple can raise iPhone prices and please consumers and investors at the same time.
Rolfe Winkler and Jang Lie from WSJ (News+ link via DaringFireball):
Apple is weighing price increases for its fall iPhone lineup, a step it is seeking to couple with new features and design changes, according to people familiar with the matter.
The company is determined to avoid any scenario in which it appears to attribute price increases to U.S. tariffs on goods from China, where most Apple devices are assembled, the people said. […]
The people familiar with the supply chain said Apple would have trouble making up for China tariff costs solely by seeking further savings from its suppliers, meaning that a hit to its profit margin was likely unless it could raise prices. […]
These circumstances have led Apple to look at what supply-chain insiders described as the least-bad choice: raising prices on the new iPhones to preserve profit and finding reasons other than tariffs to explain the move. It couldn’t be determined what new features Apple may offer to help justify price increases.
New features alone won’t be enough to justify a higher price. Apple has been improving the iPhone each year and hasn’t raised the $999 ceiling ever since the debut of the iPhone X in 2017. If they add new features and raise the price, it will signal tariffs to most people.
There is one move though, that could please investors, consumers, and even Apple’s marketing team to lower the tariff burden.
What if Apple just bumped the base storage of newer iPhones to 256GB at the same $100 cost? Technically they would be raising prices by eliminating the base storage, but at least you’re getting 256GB in return. The average consumer would also be accepting of this price increase because it is tariff season after all, and everything is supposed to go up in price. Heck, it might even feel like a deal since everyone else is giving you the same product at a higher cost. At least Apple is kind enough to “give you” an extra 128GB of storage.
Paying an extra $100 for something that costs Apple probably a few bucks extra is also going to put a smile on investors’ faces since those memory chips are pennies on the dollar for Apple, helping Apple keep a higher profit margin per iPhone sold. This increased pricing also has some cascading effects on older iPhones which I talk about below, that further quenches Wall Street’s thirst for growth. Remember, these increases will be worldwide, so the effect will be compounded.
The marketing team could easily help with Apple’s keynote, where the presenters (Kaiann and Joz) could market the new pricing, “which also matches last year’s price with this level of storage.”
Here’s how the pricing would look for the 256GB models:
iPhone 17 Pro Max - $1,199
iPhone 17 Pro - $1,099
iPhone 17 Air - $999
iPhone 17 - $899
Phones that still start at 128GB:
iPhone 16 - $799
iPhone 16e - $599
A few notes to consider:
The 15 and 16 Pro Max already start at $1,199 with 256GB of storage, so Apple would leave the 17 Pro Max unchanged.
The 256GB iPhone 17 Air at $999 is equal to the 256GB 16 Plus in price, so the pricing strategy still works since the 17 Air is the replacement for the Plus model.
The iPhone 17’s new base price of $899 allows the iPhone 16 to keep its $799 price for another year, similar to the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and not take a $100 discount, keeping it at a higher margin. Dropping the iPhone 16 to $699 will also cannibalize the 16e market.
Rolfe Winkler and Jang Lie from WSJ (News+ link via DaringFireball):
Apple is weighing price increases for its fall iPhone lineup, a step it is seeking to couple with new features and design changes, according to people familiar with the matter.
The company is determined to avoid any scenario in which it appears to attribute price increases to U.S. tariffs on goods from China, where most Apple devices are assembled, the people said. […]
The people familiar with the supply chain said Apple would have trouble making up for China tariff costs solely by seeking further savings from its suppliers, meaning that a hit to its profit margin was likely unless it could raise prices. […]
These circumstances have led Apple to look at what supply-chain insiders described as the least-bad choice: raising prices on the new iPhones to preserve profit and finding reasons other than tariffs to explain the move. It couldn’t be determined what new features Apple may offer to help justify price increases.
New features alone won’t be enough to justify a higher price. Apple has been improving the iPhone each year and hasn’t raised the $999 ceiling ever since the debut of the iPhone X in 2017. If they add new features and raise the price, it will signal tariffs to most people.
There is one move though, that could please investors, consumers, and even Apple’s marketing team to lower the tariff burden.
What if Apple just bumped the base storage of newer iPhones to 256GB at the same $100 cost? Technically they would be raising prices by eliminating the base storage, but at least you’re getting 256GB in return. The average consumer would also be accepting of this price increase because it is tariff season after all, and everything is supposed to go up in price. Heck, it might even feel like a deal since everyone else is giving you the same product at a higher cost. At least Apple is kind enough to “give you” an extra 128GB of storage.
Paying an extra $100 for something that costs Apple probably a few bucks extra is also going to put a smile on investors’ faces since those memory chips are pennies on the dollar for Apple, helping Apple keep a higher profit margin per iPhone sold. This increased pricing also has some cascading effects on older iPhones which I talk about below, that further quenches Wall Street’s thirst for growth. Remember, these increases will be worldwide, so the effect will be compounded.
The marketing team could easily help with Apple’s keynote, where the presenters (Kaiann and Joz) could market the new pricing, “which also matches last year’s price with this level of storage.”
Here’s how the pricing would look for the 256GB models:
iPhone 17 Pro Max - $1,199
iPhone 17 Pro - $1,099
iPhone 17 Air - $999
iPhone 17 - $899
Phones that still start at 128GB:
iPhone 16 - $799
iPhone 16e - $599
A few notes to consider:
The 15 and 16 Pro Max already start at $1,199 with 256GB of storage, so Apple would leave the 17 Pro Max unchanged.
The 256GB iPhone 17 Air at $999 is equal to the 256GB 16 Plus in price, so the pricing strategy still works since the 17 Air is the replacement for the Plus model.
The iPhone 17’s new base price of $899 allows the iPhone 16 to keep its $799 price for another year, similar to the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and not take a $100 discount, keeping it at a higher margin. Dropping the iPhone 16 to $699 will also cannibalize the 16e market.
LiDAR lasers on newer cars can destroy your iPhone camera lens.
Ryan King from Jalopnik via The Verge:
Reddit user u/Jeguetelli posted worrying footage of a brand new Volvo EX90 from his iPhone 16 Pro Max. Nothing was wrong with the crossover SUV. That was the problem. The lidar sensor mounted in a pod above the windshield shot out a laser barrage of near-infrared light into the camera. The damage was immediate and obvious, leaving behind a red, pink and purple constellation of fried pixels. You can tell the permanent damage was to that specific lens because the image returned to normal after zooming out to a different lens. Jeguetelli didn't seem too concerned about the incident because he had Apple Care.
You don’t even have to be directly in front of the LiDAR unit in order to get permanent damage as you can see from the video, so just don’t risk it regardless of whether or not you have AppleCare+. This would technically fall under “Other Accidental Damage,” which is a $99 fee with AppleCare+, and $249 without AppleCare+.
Ryan King from Jalopnik via The Verge:
Reddit user u/Jeguetelli posted worrying footage of a brand new Volvo EX90 from his iPhone 16 Pro Max. Nothing was wrong with the crossover SUV. That was the problem. The lidar sensor mounted in a pod above the windshield shot out a laser barrage of near-infrared light into the camera. The damage was immediate and obvious, leaving behind a red, pink and purple constellation of fried pixels. You can tell the permanent damage was to that specific lens because the image returned to normal after zooming out to a different lens. Jeguetelli didn't seem too concerned about the incident because he had Apple Care.
You don’t even have to be directly in front of the LiDAR unit in order to get permanent damage as you can see from the video, so just don’t risk it regardless of whether or not you have AppleCare+. This would technically fall under “Other Accidental Damage,” which is a $99 fee with AppleCare+, and $249 without AppleCare+.
Galaxy S25 Edge vs iPhone 16 Pro Max - brief hands-on.
Went to my local Best Buy and I was surprised to see the Galaxy S25 Edge on display. Naturally, I had to pull out my iPhone 16 Pro Max and compare the two. I think the bigger surprise isn’t really the thinness, but the lightness. You notice the lightness right away, and I think that’s the goal for both Samsung and Apple.
They’re not going for thinness, but for lightness.
Thinness just happens to be the by-product.
The screen bezels were about the same as the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and I hope the iPhone 17 Air bezels are just as small. The S25 Edge’s screen is slightly smaller at 6.7 inches vs 6.9 inches, and the S25 Edge is slightly narrower, making it even more comfortable to hold when you consider its 5.8mm thinness.
The baseline for finding that perfect balance between weight, size, and functionality is once again being challenged, instead of the old, “Go big or go home” mentality. To get 90% of the iPhone Pro Max experience with roughly a 33% weight reduction might be a fair trade-off for many people.
I think I’m sold.
September can’t come soon enough. 📓
Went to my local Best Buy and I was surprised to see the Galaxy S25 Edge on display. Naturally, I had to pull out my iPhone 16 Pro Max and compare the two. I think the bigger surprise isn’t really the thinness, but the lightness. You notice the lightness right away, and I think that’s the goal for both Samsung and Apple.
They’re not going for thinness, but for lightness.
Thinness just happens to be the by-product.
The screen bezels were about the same as the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and I hope the iPhone 17 Air bezels are just as small. The S25 Edge’s screen is slightly smaller at 6.7 inches vs 6.9 inches, and the S25 Edge is slightly narrower, making it even more comfortable to hold when you consider its 5.8mm thinness.
The baseline for finding that perfect balance between weight, size, and functionality is once again being challenged, instead of the old, “Go big or go home” mentality. To get 90% of the iPhone Pro Max experience with roughly a 33% weight reduction might be a fair trade-off for many people.
I think I’m sold.
September can’t come soon enough.
S25 Edge (left), iPhone 16 Pro Max (right)
S25 Edge (left), iPhone 16 Pro Max (right)
S25 Edge (left), iPhone 16 Pro Max (right)
I don’t think the SIM tray is going away on the iPhone 17 Air.
Internal space is always the enemy, and with the goal of making the most ambitious iPhone since the iPhone X, it becomes a nemesis. 📓
China is a huge market for Apple that still heavily relies on physical SIM cards. Today, all iPhones sold in China, Hong Kong, or Macao have a physical SIM slot that holds two nano-SIM cards.
Yes, two.
It’s a clever system where a nano-SIM card fits on each side of the nano-SIM tray, using up less physical space and making a nano-SIM card sandwich. To go from holding two SIM cards to zero would kill the iPhone 17 Air’s ability to be sold in a market that is already facing stiff competition against local competitors like Huawei and Xiaomi.
Two nano-SIM cards in half the space.
Source: Apple
It wouldn’t surprise me if Apple decides to engineer two distinct versions of the iPhone 17 Air, an eSIM only version and a SIM tray version. These won’t be like past models where Apple just shoves a plastic box in the US iPhones to fill up the SIM card space, but truly shuffling the components around in order to maximize the use of the internal space, and giving the eSIM version a bigger battery.
Apple has made distinct versions of iPhones in the past with the iPhone 4, where there were GSM and CDMA variants that had enough internal and external differences. Let’s not forget the iPhone 12 either that had a window for the mmWave 5G antenna for the US models.
Apple has slowly removed components from the iPhone to advance technology, but they are at a crossroads with the SIM tray. Either get rid of it and risk losing a lot of sales and marketshare in China, or keep it and just bite down hard and make two versions.
Internal space is always the enemy, and with the goal of making the most ambitious iPhone since the iPhone X, it becomes a nemesis.
I thought TDK only made VHS tapes, but they’re making batteries for the iPhone 17 Air?
Tim Hardwick from MacRumors:
The upcoming all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air could become the first Apple smartphone to adopt advanced battery technology, with Japanese supplier TDK preparing to ship its new generation of silicon-anode batteries by the end of June.
According to DigiTimes, TDK CEO Noboru Saito revealed in a recent interview that the Apple supplier has accelerated its production timeline, moving shipments forward from the originally planned September quarter. That may give smartphone makers enough time to use the cells in thinner models launching this year, he suggested.
"We've made good progress, and we're shipping them very soon," Saito said, adding that "some handset makers might be able to use the new battery in their product one generation early."
The timing could be soon enough for Apple's expected September launch of the iPhone 17 Air, which is rumored to measure just 5.5mm at its thinnest point, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
TDK's batteries use silicon for anodes instead of the traditional graphite, allowing them to pack 15% more energy into the same space compared to conventional rechargeable battery packs. This advancement could be key to maintaining adequate battery life in such a slim form factor.
Most of TDK’s products are boring industrial products normal people don’t see, but there was a time when they made VHS tapes, the equivalent to today’s memory cards. Still boring technology, and still the same logo.
I didn’t know they still existed until I read this article, but it’s glad to hear a company from my childhood still thriving today.
Tim Hardwick from MacRumors:
The upcoming all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air could become the first Apple smartphone to adopt advanced battery technology, with Japanese supplier TDK preparing to ship its new generation of silicon-anode batteries by the end of June.
According to DigiTimes, TDK CEO Noboru Saito revealed in a recent interview that the Apple supplier has accelerated its production timeline, moving shipments forward from the originally planned September quarter. That may give smartphone makers enough time to use the cells in thinner models launching this year, he suggested.
"We've made good progress, and we're shipping them very soon," Saito said, adding that "some handset makers might be able to use the new battery in their product one generation early."
The timing could be soon enough for Apple's expected September launch of the iPhone 17 Air, which is rumored to measure just 5.5mm at its thinnest point, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
TDK's batteries use silicon for anodes instead of the traditional graphite, allowing them to pack 15% more energy into the same space compared to conventional rechargeable battery packs. This advancement could be key to maintaining adequate battery life in such a slim form factor.
Most of TDK’s products are boring industrial products normal people don’t see, but there was a time when they made VHS tapes, the equivalent to today’s memory cards. Still boring technology, and still the same logo.
I didn’t know they still existed until I read this article, but it’s glad to hear a company from my childhood still thriving today.
Quickly disabling biometrics on Android is literally several steps behind iOS.
Imagine if your car required you to slam on the brakes as hard as you can and tap an “anti-lock brakes” button on your infotainment screen in order to activate the anti-lock brakes.
That’s essentially what Android phones require you to do in order to quickly disable biometrics. It is not an intuitive, one-step process on Android like it is on the iPhone.
First, you have to enable Lockdown Mode in Settings by either searching for “Lockdown Mode,” or going through a menu tree depending which Android phone you have.
That is assuming of course, your Android phone even supports it.
Seems like Samsung requires you to enable Lockdown Mode first through this menu tree, but it’s a one-time operation so I’ll let that pass. Once you have done that, you can hold the power button until you get to the power menu screen, and then tap the Lockdown button.
On Pixel phones, if your power button isn’t tied to Google Assistant, you can press and hold the power button to get into the power menu, and then select Lockdown. If your power button activates Google Assistant like an iPhone’s power button activates Siri, then you have to press and hold volume up and the power button and then you enter the power menu and have to select Lockdown.
You don’t get a one-step method like iOS, where a simple press and hold of the Power Button on one side of the device, and any or both volume buttons on the other side of the device (essentially squeezing the phone) automatically disables all biometrics. Just press and hold for a full 2 seconds, and that’s it.
No touchscreen input required.
If you have Haptics turned on, you also get a vibration to confirm your button inputs were successful. Personally, it’s best to enable Haptics to give you more reassurance.
Haptics or not, the point is you don’t have to look at your iPhone’s screen and confirm anything with a touch, which in my opinion defeats the purpose of quickly securing your device. That I won’t let pass.
You also don’t have to think about which volume button to press on an iPhone, since either one (or both together) will work. Just squeeze the damn iPhone and you’re good.
Odds are if you are in a situation where you have to do this, you’re already distraught to some extent, and might not have the time to even touch your screen if someone grabs the phone out of your hands fast enough.
Once again, assuming you even enabled Lockdown Mode.
Imagine if your car required you to slam on the brakes as hard as you can and tap an “anti-lock brakes” button on your infotainment screen in order to activate the anti-lock brakes.
That’s essentially what Android phones require you to do in order to quickly disable biometrics. It is not an intuitive, one-step process on Android like it is on the iPhone.
First, you have to enable Lockdown Mode in Settings by either searching for “Lockdown Mode,” or going through a menu tree depending which Android phone you have.
That is assuming of course, your Android phone even supports it.
Seems like Samsung requires you to enable Lockdown Mode first through this menu tree, but it’s a one-time operation so I’ll let that pass. Once you have done that, you can hold the power button until you get to the power menu screen, and then tap the Lockdown button.
On Pixel phones, if your power button isn’t tied to Google Assistant, you can press and hold the power button to get into the power menu, and then select Lockdown. If your power button activates Google Assistant like an iPhone’s power button activates Siri, then you have to press and hold volume up and the power button and then you enter the power menu and have to select Lockdown.
You don’t get a one-step method like iOS, where a simple press and hold of the Power Button on one side of the device, and any or both volume buttons on the other side of the device (essentially squeezing the phone) automatically disables all biometrics. Just press and hold for a full 2 seconds, and that’s it.
No touchscreen input required.
If you have Haptics turned on, you also get a vibration to confirm your button inputs were successful. Personally, it’s best to enable Haptics to give you more reassurance.
Haptics or not, the point is you don’t have to look at your iPhone’s screen and confirm anything with a touch, which in my opinion defeats the purpose of quickly securing your device. That I won’t let pass.
You also don’t have to think about which volume button to press on an iPhone, since either one (or both together) will work. Just squeeze the damn iPhone and you’re good.
Odds are if you are in a situation where you have to do this, you’re already distraught to some extent, and might not have the time to even touch your screen if someone grabs the phone out of your hands fast enough.
Once again, assuming you even enabled Lockdown Mode.
iPhone 17 Air will be released with a battery case, but there is a better alternative.
Charles Martin from AppleInsider:
Apple will be bringing back a battery-case accessory for its planned iPhone 17 Air to help give the super-slim model all-day battery life.
While the novelty of a super-thin, super-light iPhone is intended to encourage upgrades from older models, the slim design necessitates a smaller battery, and so reduced battery time.
Apple intends to offset this disadvantage by offering an iPhone 17 Air (or iPhone 17 Slim) case that adds its own battery pack, according to a new report from The Information. Adding a thicker battery case would of course undo some of the benefit of a slimmer iPhone, but it's an option that will restore longer battery life.
Battery cases are not new — Apple itself released one for the iPhone 6 and 6s back in 2015. Apple ceased selling a battery case once it released the MagSafe Battery Pack in 2021.
A criticism of both the battery case and its MagSafe successor was that it added bulk to the iPhone. The reported new battery case for the slim model would inevitably do the same, but reportedly Apple believes it's necessary.
That's because Apple's own internal testing of the new model suggests that only between 60% and 70% of users will still get a full day's use of the slimmer, lighter iPhone Air.
That does mean a majority of iPhone 17 Air users will not need to recharge during the day. However, with current iPhone models, it's claimed that this compares poorly to the 80% to even 90% of users who get a full day from a single charge.
People who buy the iPhone 17 Air will be fully aware of its limitations because you can clearly see those limitations, so a battery case would defeat the purpose of the slim device. What makes more sense is a stronger set of magnets and a more robust MagSafe Battery Pack that could be used by all iPhone 17 devices.
Charles Martin from AppleInsider:
Apple will be bringing back a battery-case accessory for its planned iPhone 17 Air to help give the super-slim model all-day battery life.
While the novelty of a super-thin, super-light iPhone is intended to encourage upgrades from older models, the slim design necessitates a smaller battery, and so reduced battery time.
Apple intends to offset this disadvantage by offering an iPhone 17 Air (or iPhone 17 Slim) case that adds its own battery pack, according to a new report from The Information. Adding a thicker battery case would of course undo some of the benefit of a slimmer iPhone, but it's an option that will restore longer battery life.
Battery cases are not new — Apple itself released one for the iPhone 6 and 6s back in 2015. Apple ceased selling a battery case once it released the MagSafe Battery Pack in 2021.
A criticism of both the battery case and its MagSafe successor was that it added bulk to the iPhone. The reported new battery case for the slim model would inevitably do the same, but reportedly Apple believes it's necessary.
That's because Apple's own internal testing of the new model suggests that only between 60% and 70% of users will still get a full day's use of the slimmer, lighter iPhone Air.
That does mean a majority of iPhone 17 Air users will not need to recharge during the day. However, with current iPhone models, it's claimed that this compares poorly to the 80% to even 90% of users who get a full day from a single charge.
People who buy the iPhone 17 Air will be fully aware of its limitations because you can clearly see those limitations, so a battery case would defeat the purpose of the slim device. What makes more sense is a stronger set of magnets and a more robust MagSafe Battery Pack that could be used by all iPhone 17 devices.
The iPhone kept me sober, but not for long…
Juli Clover from MacRumors:
Starting in 2026, Apple plans to change the release cycle for its flagship iPhone lineup, according to TheInformation. Apple will release the more expensive iPhone 18 Pro models in the fall, delaying the release of the standard iPhone 18 until the spring.
The shift may be because Apple plans to debut a foldable iPhone in 2026, which will join the existing iPhone lineup. The fall release will include the iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro Max, an iPhone 18 Air, and the new foldable iPhone.
Later, in spring 2027, Apple will release the standard iPhone 18 and an updated version of the iPhone 16e. The less expensive iPhone models will undergo manufacturing trials in India as Apple expands efforts to reduce its reliance on Chinese manufacturing.
One of the reasons I left Android for Apple was because it curbed my tech addiction. There would be a new Android phone every few months, causing me to sell and buy new devices to the point where the AT&T reps at the store knew me by first name, ready to buy the newest Android flagship. It could also be because of my name because really, how many Fahads are there in Kansas?
With Apple, you buy one device (an iPhone 5 at the time), and it’s the flagship for the whole year.
The iPhone made me and kept me “tech sober.”
Looks like this year we will have 3 flagships, and 4 flagships next year. Most people would consider the Pro and Pro Max to be one flagship, but I consider them to be separate because it really is a tough decision to decide which size to buy. The small size feels amazing in the hand, but the large size is just so immersive.
I won’t be swayed by the mid-cycle refreshes for the base models, but to have 4 flagships in the Fall of 2026 is going to be insane. I like the idea of a regular sized iPhone that opens up into the size of an iPad mini, so a foldable isn’t out of the question.
I do have more responsibilities now with a total family count of 6, so I’ll have to make my iPhone decisions wisely.
Juli Clover from MacRumors:
Starting in 2026, Apple plans to change the release cycle for its flagship iPhone lineup, according to The Information. Apple will release the more expensive iPhone 18 Pro models in the fall, delaying the release of the standard iPhone 18 until the spring.
The shift may be because Apple plans to debut a foldable iPhone in 2026, which will join the existing iPhone lineup. The fall release will include the iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro Max, an iPhone 18 Air, and the new foldable iPhone.
Later, in spring 2027, Apple will release the standard iPhone 18 and an updated version of the iPhone 16e. The less expensive iPhone models will undergo manufacturing trials in India as Apple expands efforts to reduce its reliance on Chinese manufacturing.
One of the reasons I left Android for Apple was because it curbed my tech addiction. There would be a new Android phone every few months, causing me to sell and buy new devices to the point where the AT&T reps at the store knew me by first name, ready to buy the newest Android flagship. It could also be because of my name because really, how many Fahads are there in Kansas?
With Apple, you buy one device (an iPhone 5 at the time), and it’s the flagship for the whole year.
The iPhone made me and kept me “tech sober.”
Looks like this year we will have 3 flagships, and 4 flagships next year. Most people would consider the Pro and Pro Max to be one flagship, but I consider them to be separate because it really is a tough decision to decide which size to buy. The small size feels amazing in the hand, but the large size is just so immersive.
I won’t be swayed by the mid-cycle refreshes for the base models, but to have 4 flagships in the Fall of 2026 is going to be insane. I like the idea of a regular sized iPhone that opens up into the size of an iPad mini, so a foldable isn’t out of the question.
I do have more responsibilities now with a total family count of 6, so I’ll have to make my iPhone decisions wisely.
Apple quietly updates Apple Watch to only work with iPhones on iOS 18 or later.
Update 5/12/25: See the clarification and correction to this article here.
If you have an iPhone X or earlier, don’t unpair your Apple Watch from your device because it will stop working. You must have iOS 18 now in order to pair any Apple Watch with your device. iOS 18 is available on iPhone XS or later, and iPhone SE 2nd generation or later.
This was changed recently and Apple released an updated support document. Apple’s previous compatibility chart was more complicated, but it allowed older versions of iOS to work with older Apple Watches. Their chart was not complete, and I made a modified chart to include the iPhone SE models.
Apple’s compatibility chart was dated Nov. 20, 2024, and Apple’s most recent support document is dated Feb. 28, 2025, a Friday.
So on a Friday, right when the news cycle for the week ends, Apple published a support document quietly making it impossible to pair usable Apple Watches with iOS 17 or older devices. I was in the process today of pairing a Series 5 on watchOS 10 with my iPhone SE 1st gen on iOS 15 which was possible according to Apple’s chart, but I could no longer do that and when I clicked on the “Learn More” option, the support document spelled it out bluntly:
To set up and use an Apple Watch, you need iPhone XS or later with iOS 18 or later.
Both the iPhone SE 1st gen and the Series 5 watch are on their latest software revisions, but even then it is not possible.
iOS 18 is the minimum you need now.
It is a bitter sweet ending, since it was quite perplexing to keep track of which watches on which version of watchOS would work with which iPhones on which versions of iOS. Even for a geek like me it was hard to keep it straight. The backwards compatibility was bound to come to an end, and that time is now.
Keep these 4 points in mind:
If you have iOS 18, you can pair any Apple Watch to it.
If you don’t have iOS 18, you cannot pair any Apple Watch to it.
If your Apple Watch is currently paired to an iOS 17 device, it will continue to work, but you might eventually be forced to upgrade to iOS 18 if you have an iPhone XS or later or an iPhone SE 2nd gen or later.
If you have an iPhone X or earlier, unpairing your current Apple Watch will prevent you from re-pairing the device to your iPhone.
Update 5/12/25: See the clarification and correction to this article here.
If you have an iPhone X or earlier, don’t unpair your Apple Watch from your device because it will stop working. You must have iOS 18 now in order to pair any Apple Watch with your device. iOS 18 is available on iPhone XS or later, and iPhone SE 2nd generation or later.
This was changed recently and Apple released an updated support document. Apple’s previous compatibility chart was more complicated, but it allowed older versions of iOS to work with older Apple Watches. Their chart was not complete, and I made a modified chart to include the iPhone SE models.
Apple’s compatibility chart was dated Nov. 20, 2024, and Apple’s most recent support document is dated Feb. 28, 2025, a Friday.
So on a Friday, right when the news cycle for the week ends, Apple published a support document quietly making it impossible to pair usable Apple Watches with iOS 17 or older devices. I was in the process today of pairing a Series 5 on watchOS 10 with my iPhone SE 1st gen on iOS 15 which was possible according to Apple’s chart, but I could no longer do that and when I clicked on the “Learn More” option, the support document spelled it out bluntly:
To set up and use an Apple Watch, you need iPhone XS or later with iOS 18 or later.
Both the iPhone SE 1st gen and the Series 5 watch are on their latest software revisions, but even then it is not possible.
iOS 18 is the minimum you need now.
It is a bitter sweet ending, since it was quite perplexing to keep track of which watches on which version of watchOS would work with which iPhones on which versions of iOS. Even for a geek like me it was hard to keep it straight. The backwards compatibility was bound to come to an end, and that time is now.
Keep these 4 points in mind:
If you have iOS 18, you can pair any Apple Watch to it.
If you don’t have iOS 18, you cannot pair any Apple Watch to it.
If your Apple Watch is currently paired to an iOS 17 device, it will continue to work, but you might eventually be forced to upgrade to iOS 18 if you have an iPhone XS or later or an iPhone SE 2nd gen or later.
If you have an iPhone X or earlier, unpairing your current Apple Watch will prevent you from re-pairing the device to your iPhone.
This iPhone 17 Pro camera downgrade will actually be an upgrade.
According to Majin Bu, the iPhone 17 Pro will get a 3.5x telephoto zoom instead of a 5x telephoto:
The new iPhone 17 Pro introduces a completely redesigned camera module. Gone is the diagonal lens arrangement: now the lenses are aligned horizontally in a wider layout. This isn’t just an aesthetic change, it’s a functional choice to integrate an enhanced telephoto lens that delivers exceptional performance.
Telephoto Lens: New Optical Zoom
The telephoto lens of the iPhone 17 Pro is the heart of this revolution. Here’s what makes it special:
– Versatile focal length: It shifts from 120 mm (5x optical zoom) to 85 mm (3.5x), perfect for portraits and everyday shots.
– 48-megapixel sensor: Compared to the previous 12-megapixel sensors, it offers optical zoom up to 7x (160 mm) with top-quality images.
– Advanced optics: Ensures sharp details even at long distances.
With these features, the telephoto lens combines versatility and power, turning every shot into a masterpiece.
Currently the Pro iPhone has a weird gap in its zoom options at 0.5x, 1x, 2x, and 5x. By having a 48MP 3.5x lens, they can provide 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 3.5x, 5x, and 7x zoom options.
Granted the 2x, 5x, and 7x would be marketing tools for “digital zoom with optical quality,” but they do produce reasonable images considering you’re holding a ultra slim device when compared to a real camera.
The main upgrade for the 3.5x lens would be a lower aperture. The iPhone has been stuck at f2.8 for its telephoto options since the iPhone 13 Pro, and a lot of challenging light situations make the iPhone default back to the 1x Fusion camera leading to worse photos. A lower aperture would mean more low-light 3.5x photos would actually be 3.5x instead of a 3.5x crop from the 1x lens.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25+ have an f2.4 3x optical zoom, and the S25 Ultra has an f2 3x optical zoom. Hopefully the camera tech has advanced enough to give us a similar aperture at 3.5x.
According to Majin Bu, the iPhone 17 Pro will get a 3.5x telephoto zoom instead of a 5x telephoto:
The new iPhone 17 Pro introduces a completely redesigned camera module. Gone is the diagonal lens arrangement: now the lenses are aligned horizontally in a wider layout. This isn’t just an aesthetic change, it’s a functional choice to integrate an enhanced telephoto lens that delivers exceptional performance.
Telephoto Lens: New Optical Zoom
The telephoto lens of the iPhone 17 Pro is the heart of this revolution. Here’s what makes it special:
– Versatile focal length: It shifts from 120 mm (5x optical zoom) to 85 mm (3.5x), perfect for portraits and everyday shots.
– 48-megapixel sensor: Compared to the previous 12-megapixel sensors, it offers optical zoom up to 7x (160 mm) with top-quality images.
– Advanced optics: Ensures sharp details even at long distances.
With these features, the telephoto lens combines versatility and power, turning every shot into a masterpiece.
Currently the Pro iPhone has a weird gap in its zoom options at 0.5x, 1x, 2x, and 5x. By having a 48MP 3.5x lens, they can provide 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 3.5x, 5x, and 7x zoom options.
Granted the 2x, 5x, and 7x would be marketing tools for “digital zoom with optical quality,” but they do produce reasonable images considering you’re holding a ultra slim device when compared to a real camera.
The main upgrade for the 3.5x lens would be a lower aperture. The iPhone has been stuck at f2.8 for its telephoto options since the iPhone 13 Pro, and a lot of challenging light situations make the iPhone default back to the 1x Fusion camera leading to worse photos. A lower aperture would mean more low-light 3.5x photos would actually be 3.5x instead of a 3.5x crop from the 1x lens.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25+ have an f2.4 3x optical zoom, and the S25 Ultra has an f2 3x optical zoom. Hopefully the camera tech has advanced enough to give us a similar aperture at 3.5x.
Apple’s Ceramic Shield ad also highlights Camera Control’s foibles.
Apple was trying to highlight the durability of Ceramic Shield, but the only reason why the guy drops the phone is because of Camera Control. The hand placement is just more secure when using the touchscreen.
Apple was trying to highlight the durability of Ceramic Shield, but the only reason why the guy drops the phone is because of Camera Control. The hand placement is just more secure when using the touchscreen.
When you walk into an Apple Store, and sell them a product.
I was trying on some cases at the Apple Store just to see how they feel, and when I took out my iPhone 16 Pro Max with the OpenCase, an Apple employee standing beside me was instantly intrigued. I didn’t have my wallet on it at the moment, so she saw the gaping hole in the back.
“What is that case?!” she asked. I told her what it was and why it was a cool case because it secures any accessory that fits in the slot. I slapped my Apple Wallet on the back of the case to show her how seamlessly it fits, put it in my pocket, and showed her that even if the pants snag on the wallet, it never falls.
She was impressed, and the expression on her face just screamed, “Shut up and take my money!”
Now I’m the salesman, and she’s the customer.
You can read more about my thoughts on the OpenCase in my review.
I was trying on some cases at the Apple Store just to see how they feel, and when I took out my iPhone 16 Pro Max with the OpenCase, an Apple employee standing beside me was instantly intrigued. I didn’t have my wallet on it at the moment, so she saw the gaping hole in the back.
“What is that case?!” she asked. I told her what it was and why it was a cool case because it secures any accessory that fits in the slot. I slapped my Apple Wallet on the back of the case to show her how seamlessly it fits, put it in my pocket, and showed her that even if the pants snag on the wallet, it never falls.
She was impressed, and the expression on her face just screamed, “Shut up and take my money!”
Now I’m the salesman, and she’s the customer.
You can read more about my thoughts on the OpenCase in my review.
Old ladies love their mini iPhone, and are still hanging on.
Rarely have I seen an iPhone 12 or 13 mini in the wild. Besides my iPhone 12 mini (which I sold to an old lady), I have only seen one other person with one.
I went for a Genius Bar appointment a few days ago and as I was waiting, and an older lady was there with her iPhone 12 mini trying to see why it wouldn’t charge from the lightning port. I didn’t hear everything that was going on, but she was having charging issues because she got the liquid-detection alert on her iPhone 12 mini. Apparently she might have shorted a few of the pins on her iPhone, and her charging was acting weird. They cleaned out her port and told her it is charging for now, but you might want to upgrade.
She asked about the latest iPhone mini, and the Genius told her there is no more mini, and this is the smallest iPhone (showing her a store model iPhone 16).
“What??!” She said, “No more mini?”
She was dumbfounded, and I felt bad for her. We, the enthusiast, were aware the mini would be discontinued about a year in advance when the 13 mini was released, but to get the news like that must have been a shock to her system.
After she was done talking and was about to leave, I couldn’t help myself and felt compelled to step in. I gave her the suggestion to use a magnetic charging pad if her lighting port ever stops working again, pointing and showing her the MagSafe puck sitting on the Genius table.
She thanked me but said she will stick to charging via the lightning cable for now since that’s what she’s used to. At least now she is fully informed and has a backup plan if her lightning port does go completely dead.
I did my due diligence.
The second old lady is someone I know who bought my iPhone 12 mini a few years ago. She still uses her iPhone 12 mini to this day, even though the font size on it is maxed out and you can only see 3 lines of text on the screen.
She barely uses her phone and only uses it when she needs to, so it’s not a big deal for her. She loves the portability of it considering she treats it like a Light phone. Basic calls and messages and maybe a bit of social media to keep up with family. Half the time she forgets it at home because she actively wants to use a smartphone less and not be hooked on it.
Smart lady.
It’s been through hell and back since I gave it to her, and she has had the battery and screen replaced after shattering it. Not sure how much longer it will last, but it’s been 4 years and counting.
That’s the story of the iPhone mini, barely hanging on until they all go extinct.
Fun fact - both these iPhones 12 mini were (PRODUCT)RED.
Rarely have I seen an iPhone 12 or 13 mini in the wild. Besides my iPhone 12 mini (which I sold to an old lady), I have only seen one other person with one.
I went for a Genius Bar appointment a few days ago and as I was waiting, and an older lady was there with her iPhone 12 mini trying to see why it wouldn’t charge from the lightning port. I didn’t hear everything that was going on, but she was having charging issues because she got the liquid-detection alert on her iPhone 12 mini. Apparently she might have shorted a few of the pins on her iPhone, and her charging was acting weird. They cleaned out her port and told her it is charging for now, but you might want to upgrade.
She asked about the latest iPhone mini, and the Genius told her there is no more mini, and this is the smallest iPhone (showing her a store model iPhone 16).
“What??!” She said, “No more mini?”
She was dumbfounded, and I felt bad for her. We, the enthusiast, were aware the mini would be discontinued about a year in advance when the 13 mini was released, but to get the news like that must have been a shock to her system.
After she was done talking and was about to leave, I couldn’t help myself and felt compelled to step in. I gave her the suggestion to use a magnetic charging pad if her lighting port ever stops working again, pointing and showing her the MagSafe puck sitting on the Genius table.
She thanked me but said she will stick to charging via the lightning cable for now since that’s what she’s used to. At least now she is fully informed and has a backup plan if her lightning port does go completely dead.
I did my due diligence.
The second old lady is someone I know who bought my iPhone 12 mini a few years ago. She still uses her iPhone 12 mini to this day, even though the font size on it is maxed out and you can only see 3 lines of text on the screen.
She barely uses her phone and only uses it when she needs to, so it’s not a big deal for her. She loves the portability of it considering she treats it like a Light phone. Basic calls and messages and maybe a bit of social media to keep up with family. Half the time she forgets it at home because she actively wants to use a smartphone less and not be hooked on it.
Smart lady.
It’s been through hell and back since I gave it to her, and she has had the battery and screen replaced after shattering it. Not sure how much longer it will last, but it’s been 4 years and counting.
That’s the story of the iPhone mini, barely hanging on until they all go extinct.
Fun fact - both these iPhones 12 mini were (PRODUCT)RED.
iPhone 16 Pro Max OpenCase Review - less is more.
It’s like ripped jeans, except this actually makes sense. You get less, but it provides more value. Can’t say the same about ripped jeans.📓
I bought an OpenCase after hearing about it on the Talk Show, and I found it to be quite fascinating. It’s like ripped jeans, except this actually makes sense. You get less, but it provides more value. Can’t say the same about ripped jeans.
You can guess why it’s called the OpenCase.
You have an iPhone case, but you have a hole in the back of it for MagSafe accessories that attach directly to the phone instead of the case. This gives you an overall thinner profile when attaching your wallet or a battery pack or any other accessory. Not only do you get a thinner profile but you get a better, more secure fit. No more wallets falling off while you stick your iPhone into your skinny jeans.
The cut out matches Apple’s MagSafe wallet and MagSafe battery pack perfectly, so that is your template for fitment. If you have a battery pack that is too bulky, or a wallet with bigger dimensions, this case is not for you. Thankfully OpenCase also makes compatible accessories if you’re looking for a one-stop shop. I do have an Otterbox MagSafe battery pack that fits right into this slot, making it a perfect fit.
Here are some accessories that I have that fit the OpenCase perfectly:
Apple MagSafe Battery Pack
Apple MagSafe Wallet
Otterbox 5K mAh Wireless Power Bank
The case material is a vegan leather that feels good in the hand, and more importantly, feels good in the pocket. It doesn’t stick to pockets like silicone cases do, and it makes it easy and hassle-free when removing and putting your phone in your pocket. That is my biggest gripe with silicone cases, and cases in general. No matter how premium they are, they still tend to be lint magnets and have a tendency to turn your pockets inside-out. The OpenCase doesn’t have that problem.
A nice ridged texture that makes it easy to grip and doesn’t attract lint.
Pocket dynamics are also good with the case and a MagSafe accessory because you can even use the MagSafe accessory that is jutting out from the back of the phone to help pull the phone out of your pocket. Normally the MagSafe accessory would just slide off leaving the phone in place, but in this case, the attachment is secure enough to help pull the phone out with ease. It’s almost like a grab handle to help retrieve your iPhone from your pocket.
The cutout at the bottom for the USB-C port is big enough for most cables, but you will have trouble charging with a thicker cable, such as a Nintendo Switch USB-A to USB-C cable. The buttons I think are aluminum, and have a satisfying click to them. If they’re plastic, they do a really good job of looking and feeling like aluminum.
The port cut-out might be a bit small for really big cables, but the alignment is perfect.
I can’t tell if these are aluminum or plastic, which is a good thing.
Volume Buttons and Action Button
The cut out for Camera Control is not the most professional looking, but I can see why they did it the way they did it. Since there is already a big hole in the back of the case, having a bigger cutout for the Camera Control button would have made the case flimsy and on the cusp of breaking. I know their website mentions they went through a lot of prototyping, and I’m sure this Camera Control button gave them frustration. You really do have to press a bit harder to launch Camera Control, which could be a plus or a minus depending on the person. The swipe and click gestures do work on it, but if you are really into the Camera Control button and use it a lot for taking photos and changing controls, zooming, etc, you will get a better experience with other cases or no case. Since I use it solely for launching the Camera app, it’s fine for me.
Not much wiggle room to carve out a Camera Control hole.
That Camera Control button on the White Titanium iPhone closely matches the color of the OpenCase.
The case is a bit recessed by the Camera Control button to make it a bit easier to press.
Let’s talk about that hole in the back in more detail.
The MagSafe charging puck fits right in place near the top of the square hole, so if you have a 3rd party charger with a bigger diameter, it won’t line up properly. Any other accessory that has the same diameter as the standard MagSafe puck will work fine.
The Moment MagSafe puck has the same diameter as a MagSafe, making it a perfect fit in portrait or landscape.
If you have a non-circular MagSafe charger or one with a larger diameter, you can’t put your iPhone flush with the charger due to the nature of the case. You can still charge it, but it won’t be as secure and will fall if bumped lightly.
3rd party charger with bigger diameter leads to…
Improper fit in portrait…
and landscape.
The case is as thick as Apple’s Clear Case and the recessed cutout for MagSafe is 3mm, so you get exactly a 3mm savings in thickness when attaching an accessory. Doesn’t sound like much but you can definitely feel it.
~3mm of thickness is enough to secure your MagSafe accessories.
It’s genuinely harder to take an accessory out of that recessed hole versus a regular case where it will just slide off. Rest assured, any accessory that fits the hole perfectly will not detach without significant force.
You get a certain level of satisfaction when connecting an accessory and seeing it fit right in place, kind of like the classic children’s shape sorting cube toy where you have different shapes and wooden blocks that fit only one particular hole. Magnets are always fun, and so is MagSafe, but this is just that extra level of fun when you magnetically fit it into the perfect shape.
Dear Apple, make another MagSafe Battery Pack with USB-C.
If you’re concerned about durability, I would get the black one since it’s harder to notice wear and tear versus the light gray one. I would like to see more colors in the future.
I don’t normally put a case on my iPhone except when I’m traveling, and this seems like the perfect travel case since I can slap on my wallet or battery pack without worry or bulk. Pocket space is already at a premium when traveling, so if I can consolidate two things into one I’m all for it.
This isn’t an ultra-rugged case for all your outdoor adventures, but it is a nice modern case that will keep your phone protected in day to day use.
The case costs $55 for the iPhone 16 series, but if you own an iPhone 14 or 15 variant, you can snag one for $39.
Even with some of its minor quibbles such as wireless charging, this case was purpose-built for one thing, and it does that one thing very well. If you want the most secure and compact way to carry a MagSafe wallet or battery pack while protecting your iPhone, the OpenCase is not just your only option, but a great option.
Case closed.
How to Temporarily Disable Face ID or Touch ID, and Require a Passcode to Unlock Your iPhone or iPad (2025 edition).
There’s never a bad time (and always a good time) to be reminded of this feature.
I copied the title straight from Gruber’s website, and it’s best just to read his description since I couldn’t put it any better. His almost 3-year-old article still holds up well, especially in today’s day and age:
The problem is this: if you use Face ID or Touch ID on your device (and you almost certainly should), what happens if law enforcement (or anyone else for that matter) takes your device and physically forces you to unlock it biometrically? There is some legal precedent supporting the notion that police can force you to do this, but can’t force you to provide them with a passcode or passphrase.
Here are two essential things everyone should know.
The first is hard-locking. When you hard-lock your iPhone or iPad, it enters a mode that requires the device passcode to unlock. With recent iPhones and iPads, you enter this mode the same way that you turn off the device: by pressing and holding the power button and either of the volume buttons for about two seconds.* You’ll know when you’ve pressed the buttons long enough because there’s haptic feedback.** This takes you to the screen where you see a slider to power down the device, and on iPhones, where you can initiate an Emergency SOS call or view the device owner’s Medical ID (if they have one). The important thing to note is that you don’t have to do anything on this screen to hard-lock your device — once you’ve gotten to this screen, the device is already hard-locked and will require the passcode to unlock. You can’t use Face ID or Touch ID again until the passcode has been entered. This is important because it means you can easily hard-lock your iPhone without even looking at it, or removing it from your pocket or purse. That you can do this surreptitiously is very much by design.
Just press and hold the buttons on both sides. Remember that. Try it now. Don’t just memorize it, internalize it, so that you’ll be able to do it without much thought while under duress, like if you’re confronted by a police officer. Remember to do this every time you’re separated from your phone, like when going through the magnetometer at any security checkpoint, especially airports. As soon as you see a metal detector ahead of you, you should think, “Hard-lock my iPhone”.
The second thing is to know your rights. Never ever hand your phone to a cop or anyone vaguely cop-like, like the rent-a-cops working for TSA. If they tell you that you must, refuse. They can and will lie to you about this. If you really need to hand it over, they’ll take it from you. And they won’t get anything from it, because you’ll have already hard-locked it, and you’ll know that you cannot be required to give them your passcode.
* You can also do the same thing by quickly pressing the side button alone five times. On older iPhones (iPhone 7 and earlier), rapidly pressing the side button five times will immediately initiate the SOS phone call to emergency services; on iPhone 8 and later it just takes you to the same lock screen as when you press and hold the side button along with a volume button. I find the press-and-hold method easier to remember. I think of it as squeezing my iPhone for a moment to protect its contents.
**This haptic feedback/confirmation only occurs if “Vibrate on Ring” is turned on in Settings → Sounds & Haptics. I feel like this haptic feedback should occur regardless of this setting.
The only thing that needs a minor update is his second footnote, which has changed with iOS updates. Under Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Haptics, you now have four different options:
Always Play
Play in Silent Mode
Don’t Play in Silent Mode
Never Play
Keep your Haptics on “Always Play” so you can always feel the confirmation for hard-locking your device even though it is out of sight, regardless of Silent Mode.
The last thing you want is to second guess yourself and think, “is my iPhone actually hard-locked or not?”
For the iPad, there is no Haptics option, so holding the power button and either volume button (or both volume buttons) for 2 seconds is enough.
There’s never a bad time (and always a good time) to be reminded of this feature.
I copied the title straight from Gruber’s website, and it’s best just to read his description since I couldn’t put it any better. His almost 3-year-old article still holds up well, especially in today’s day and age:
The problem is this: if you use Face ID or Touch ID on your device (and you almost certainly should), what happens if law enforcement (or anyone else for that matter) takes your device and physically forces you to unlock it biometrically? There is some legal precedent supporting the notion that police can force you to do this, but can’t force you to provide them with a passcode or passphrase.
Here are two essential things everyone should know.
The first is hard-locking. When you hard-lock your iPhone or iPad, it enters a mode that requires the device passcode to unlock. With recent iPhones and iPads, you enter this mode the same way that you turn off the device: by pressing and holding the power button and either of the volume buttons for about two seconds.* You’ll know when you’ve pressed the buttons long enough because there’s haptic feedback.** This takes you to the screen where you see a slider to power down the device, and on iPhones, where you can initiate an Emergency SOS call or view the device owner’s Medical ID (if they have one). The important thing to note is that you don’t have to do anything on this screen to hard-lock your device — once you’ve gotten to this screen, the device is already hard-locked and will require the passcode to unlock. You can’t use Face ID or Touch ID again until the passcode has been entered. This is important because it means you can easily hard-lock your iPhone without even looking at it, or removing it from your pocket or purse. That you can do this surreptitiously is very much by design.
Just press and hold the buttons on both sides. Remember that. Try it now. Don’t just memorize it, internalize it, so that you’ll be able to do it without much thought while under duress, like if you’re confronted by a police officer. Remember to do this every time you’re separated from your phone, like when going through the magnetometer at any security checkpoint, especially airports. As soon as you see a metal detector ahead of you, you should think, “Hard-lock my iPhone”.
The second thing is to know your rights. Never ever hand your phone to a cop or anyone vaguely cop-like, like the rent-a-cops working for TSA. If they tell you that you must, refuse. They can and will lie to you about this. If you really need to hand it over, they’ll take it from you. And they won’t get anything from it, because you’ll have already hard-locked it, and you’ll know that you cannot be required to give them your passcode.
* You can also do the same thing by quickly pressing the side button alone five times. On older iPhones (iPhone 7 and earlier), rapidly pressing the side button five times will immediately initiate the SOS phone call to emergency services; on iPhone 8 and later it just takes you to the same lock screen as when you press and hold the side button along with a volume button. I find the press-and-hold method easier to remember. I think of it as squeezing my iPhone for a moment to protect its contents.
**This haptic feedback/confirmation only occurs if “Vibrate on Ring” is turned on in Settings → Sounds & Haptics. I feel like this haptic feedback should occur regardless of this setting.
The only thing that needs a minor update is his second footnote, which has changed with iOS updates. Under Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Haptics, you now have four different options:
Always Play
Play in Silent Mode
Don’t Play in Silent Mode
Never Play
Keep your Haptics on “Always Play” so you can always feel the confirmation for hard-locking your device even though it is out of sight, regardless of Silent Mode.
The last thing you want is to second guess yourself and think, “is my iPhone actually hard-locked or not?”
For the iPad, there is no Haptics option, so holding the power button and either volume button (or both volume buttons) for 2 seconds is enough.
If you need repairs done on your iPhone 6s, you need to hurry up…
Juli Clover from MacRumors:
The iPhone 6s initially launched in 2015, but Apple kept it around as a low-cost device until 2018, which is why it is only now being added to the vintage list. The iPhone 6s had Apple's A9 chip, and it was equipped with a strengthened aluminum chassis to fix the iPhone 6 "bendgate" design flaw. It was also the first iPhone with 3D Touch, and the last flagship iPhone with a headphone jack.
I’m sure there are many people still using this as an audio device since it’s still got a headphone jack (Tom Brady?), but if you want to get it fixed to make it last even longer, better get it done sooner than later by Apple before they run out of parts:
A device is considered "vintage" five years after it was last distributed for sale. For vintage products, Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers (AASPs) are still able to offer repairs, but only if the required parts are available.
Juli Clover from MacRumors:
The iPhone 6s initially launched in 2015, but Apple kept it around as a low-cost device until 2018, which is why it is only now being added to the vintage list. The iPhone 6s had Apple's A9 chip, and it was equipped with a strengthened aluminum chassis to fix the iPhone 6 "bendgate" design flaw. It was also the first iPhone with 3D Touch, and the last flagship iPhone with a headphone jack.
I’m sure there are many people still using this as an audio device since it’s still got a headphone jack (Tom Brady?), but if you want to get it fixed to make it last even longer, better get it done sooner than later by Apple before they run out of parts:
A device is considered "vintage" five years after it was last distributed for sale. For vintage products, Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers (AASPs) are still able to offer repairs, but only if the required parts are available.