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iPhone 17 Air Said to Feature Titanium Frame — Unlike iPhone 17 Pro

The rumored iPhone 17 Air will have a titanium frame, according to Apple analyst Jeff Pu.

iPhone 17 Air Thumb 2 Blue Electric Boogaloo
In an investor note with equity research firm GF Securities this week, Pu also said the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will have aluminum frames, so the iPhone 17 Air will apparently be the only new model to use titanium.

It is unclear why the iPhone 17 Air would have a titanium frame, as aluminum is lighter than titanium, which would be fitting for the device's rumored ultra-thin and lightweight design. Titanium is generally stronger than aluminum, however, so perhaps the material is necessary to ensure that the iPhone 17 Air's thin chassis is durable.

Last year, another Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the iPhone 17 Air's frame would use both titanium and aluminum, so there could be a mix of both materials. Apple surely has its reasons, and it may discuss them during its iPhone 17 event in September.

Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, so the return to an aluminum frame for the iPhone 17 Pro models this year would be a notable change.

Here is what Pu expects:

  • iPhone 17: Aluminum frame
  • iPhone 17 Air: Titanium frame
  • iPhone 17 Pro: Aluminum frame
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: Aluminum frame

Here are the materials used for the iPhone 16 series:

  • iPhone 16: Aluminum frame
  • iPhone 16 Plus: Aluminum frame
  • iPhone 16 Pro: Titanium frame
  • iPhone 16 Pro Max: Titanium frame
Related Roundups: iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone Air
Tag: Jeff Pu
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

Timpetus Avatar
9 months ago
It drives me crazy when people say aluminum is lighter than titanium, without any context. Titanium is much more rigid, so you need less of it to create an object with the same strength as it would have if you made it with aluminum. Ti is lighter than Al when you consider equivalent durability in the ways that matter for making a phone chassis. That's why the 15 Pro is lighter than the 14 Pro.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
G5isAlive Avatar
9 months ago
The bend gate prophesiers will be disappointed to read this. No doubt will switch to complaining about cost.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BelgianChoklit Avatar
9 months ago
I'm glad we got rid of stainless steel, but going from titanium to aluminium is a downgrade.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kylo83 Avatar
9 months ago
so the pro's are gonna look and feel like cheap ones
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
555gallardo Avatar
9 months ago
I think they’ll use titanium just to avoid another bendgate starring aluminum.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sniffies Avatar
9 months ago
Air is the new Pro
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)