Apple might be having second thoughts about aluminum on the iPhone. A few months after switching the iPhone 17 Pro away from titanium, the company is now reportedly experimenting with an improved titanium alloy that could fix a huge problem with the metal.
If Apple finds a way to make it practical, we could see titanium return to a future iPhone Pro. But the problem is that titanium isn’t as good as aluminum at transferring heat. Aluminum’s better thermal properties are likely why Apple moved away from titanium in the first place. Also, aluminum is cheaper and easier to recycle.
Titanium iPhone Pro may make a comeback
Details of the iPhone’s construction materials may be a bit esoteric, but it has important implications for topics consumers care about, like weight, cost, and environmental impact. Aluminum is light, cheap and plentiful but it also scratches easily. Titanium is strong and durable, but it’s expensive, hard to work and is not as effective as aluminum at dissipating heat.
Apple used titanium for the iPhone 15 and 16 series, but switched to aluminum with the iPhone 17 lineup.
But Apple may not have given up on titanium just yet. And the aluminum switch may have been a compromise the engineering team was forced to make.
It’s all about scratches
The titanium tip comes from the fairly-reliable Weibo tipster Instant Digital, who claims Apple is working on a new titanium alloy that might help address the heating issue while keeping the iPhone light.
It will also address another problem: scratching. Almost as soon as iPhone 17 Pro hit store shelves, users complained it was far more susceptible to nicks and scuffs compared to the iPhone 16 Pro made from titanium.
Improved scratch resistance is a huge part of the premium iPhone experience. Still, there’s a reason Apple moved back to aluminum. Modern iPhones are working harder than ever, be it on-device AI processing, console-level gaming, or ProRes video recording.
All that processing generates heat. And aluminum is better at dissipating it. If Apple goes back to titanium without fixing the thermal issues, users are bound to notice.
Apple currently uses titanium in the iPhone Air. The material not only helps reduce weight, but also makes its ultra-thin chassis durable.
And while the much-rumored iPhone Ultra is said to feature titanium for that very reason, the problem with the Pro line is different. That is because those phones run hotter and push harder than their slim counterparts.
OK, but when will the next titanium iPhone come out?
There’s no timeline here. The tipster says he has no idea when Apple’s improved titanium alloy will be ready, or if it will even work. As of now, it looks like the formula is still in early-stage research.
Apple often takes years to implement such upgrades, and more often than not, abandons them entirely.
But if Apple solves the thermal issues, it may finally have a reason to bring titanium back to the iPhone Pro lineup.
Anurag Chawake is a tech-focused writer specializing in smartphones, apps and consumer technology. His interest in computers began during the Windows 98 era, eventually leading him to explore everything from operating systems to mobile devices and PC hardware. Anurag previously contributed to The Indian Express, covering Apple, Android, gaming and the broader technology landscape.
