On this line of thinking though, I miss gadgets which patina nicely.
Consider the iPod Classic: the shiny back scratched incredibly easily, and after a few years it looked better than it did new (like an old leather wallet, or well worn jeans).
This reminds me of something Bill Moggridge said in the industrial design documentary Objectified:
> I like the concept of wearing in rather than wearing out. You’d like to create something where the emotional relationship is more satisfying over time. You may not worry about it or think about it very much, and people don’t have to have a strong love relationship with their things, but they should grow a little more fond of them over time.
That was an idea he applied to the Grid Compass, which was an early laptop with a black-painted magnesium chassis, which you can imagine would patina quite nicely.
I've had my current laptop for "everyday" use (a Thinkpad, naturally) for well over a decade. It's very much a "laptop of Thesus" with the only original components being the top and bottom covers. (Bottom modded for extra airflow, top optimally stickerbombed.) I can't really imagine writing or web browsing on a different device. (Portable computer, that is. Work is done with one one of my mechanical keyboards.)
That's one way to upsell a design flaw tbh. I preferred the anodized and scratch resistant case of the Mini.
That said, I too miss long time daily use Things. I haven't worn a physical wallet in years, it's some cards in my (tatty) phone case. The phone case doesn't age gracefully either, it's pleather, fabric, cardboard and some magnets. I suspect the only thing I really own (but rarely use) that would age like that is a leather shoulder bag.
I disagree that it's a design flaw. Wear and tear is part of the product lifecycle, and whether that wear enhances the product, or makes it look broken/shabby, is up to the designer.
I remember some blog (maybe HackADay?) suggested sanding the back to give it a brushed aluminium look and that ended up looking so cool. Those early iPods were all-time-great products.
All the iDevices of Apple in their prime. I still have an old broken iPhone 4 as a reminder of what peak mobile phone design looked like. I miss being able to reach the whole screen with my thumb.
Moved from SE to 12 mini, now a 13 mini - just bought used last year. Will likely hold on for another year or two. Desperately want a small screen. There just seem to be no options.
Re: thumb - I have found some gesture to pull the screen down halfway so you can reach the 'top' part without moving your hand. It's close to OK, and it's almost second nature now, but still annoying.
From a few years ago with a Thumb Zone Heat Map - https://www.scotthurff.com/posts/how-to-design-for-thumbs-in... (searching around, this appears to be the source since other blog posts that include it or mention it with attribution have 'Based on Scott Hurffs "How to design for thumbs in the era of huge screens"'
> I miss being able to reach the whole screen with my thumb.
This. Oh, so much this. I have hated every phone after my OG iPhone SE so much because of this lunacy in design. It's ridiculous that we can't use our phones one-handed.
I know-- people don't want small phones. >sigh< I wonder if we're getting to the point that most phone users have never actually used a phone with a screen they can reach across with one hand.