Apple usually is aware of what it’s doing in the case of industrial design, however the firm’s newest reported choice is inflicting greater than just a little confusion amongst Apple followers and pundits.
In keeping with the GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu, the iPhone 17 Air may have a titanium body, whereas the iPhone 17, 17 Professional, and 17 Professional Max will all be manufactured from aluminum. This can be a counterintuitive selection, to say the least, as a result of titanium is heavier than aluminum, and the iPhone 17 Air is anticipated to be marketed as an ultra-lightweight smartphone. And final November, a number of sources insisted that all the iPhone 17 vary can be manufactured from aluminum.
In addition to being heavier than aluminum, titanium is significantly stronger, and it’s attainable the slender iPhone 17 Air wants this sturdier body in order to keep away from one other Bendgate scandal. The issue with that rationale is that Apple appears to have already solved the Bendgate problem with out resorting to titanium. In 2014, the 6.9mm aluminium iPhone 6 bent (sometimes), however the 5.1mm aluminum iPad Professional, launched in 2024, didn’t bend (outdoors of click-chasing YouTube stunts). Apple stated it strengthened the design utilizing a metallic “cowling” on the logic board down the middle of the machine, and it stands to cause that it might work on the iPhone 17 Air, too.
Pu made the prediction this week in an investor word seen by MacRumors. He’s a prolific pundit–we reported on his newest Apple Product Timeline final month–however one with a combined report: on the time of writing, AppleTrack charges him at 50 p.c accuracy, so his predictions needs to be taken with a pinch of salt.
There stay roughly two months till Apple unveils its new smartphones for late 2025. Sustain with the newest information and rumors with our frequently up to date iPhone 17 superguide. If you happen to don’t need to wait that lengthy, choose up a discount on the present vary with our roundup of the greatest iPhone offers.