Apple could ditch titanium on iPhone 17 Pro — and keep it exclusive to iPhone 17 Air
We've heard rumors about this before, and the latest word comes from analyst Jeff Pu in a recent research note. According to the note the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all have aluminum frames — with titanium reserved exclusively for the Air.
As MacRumors points out, aluminum is actually lighter than titanium. Which means Apple isn't doing this to ensure the 17 Air is as light as possible. However titanium is a lot more durable, and the thinner design may require a little more protection than aluminum alone can offer.
This isn't the first time we've heard this particular rumor. The Information previously reported that the iPhone 17 Pro wouldn't come with titanium, while Ming Chi-Kuo reiterated the fact that the 17 Air will be coming with a blend of aluminum and titanium in its chassis.
It's not clear why Apple might be ditching titanium so quickly, especially after making such a big deal about its debut on iPhone 15 Pro. We even noted that the phones felt extremely light in our iPhone 15 Pro Max review, showcasing one of the benefits of having the new metal in place of stainless steel.
Steel is just as durable as some grades of titanium, but is simultaneously much heavier. So that's a clear benefit of using titanium, alongside the fact it sounds cooler than stainless steel or aluminum — which are both boring, ultra-common materials.
It's the kind of change the marketing team can (and did) go nuts with.
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Sadly titanium is expensive, and with the cost of just about everything rising all the time, I can understand why Apple might want to cut costs where it can. That way it can continue to sell iPhones without raising the price which, in the age of tariffs, is probably more important than ever.
It'll be interesting to see how this plays out, and what a potential change to the material will do for iPhone durability. But hey, since aluminum is easily recycled, that's something Apple 's marketing department can focus on this year.
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