iPhone 17 Pro Ditches Titanium for Aluminum, iPhone Air Retains It | Quick Digest

iPhone 17 Pro Ditches Titanium for Aluminum, iPhone Air Retains It | Quick Digest
TechRadar reports that Apple is moving away from titanium for its iPhone 17 Pro models, opting for aluminum instead. This shift, aimed at improving heat dissipation and potentially reducing costs, means the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will feature aluminum chassis. The iPhone 15 Pro and 16 Pro models previously used titanium. Notably, the upcoming iPhone 17 Air will be the sole model to retain a titanium-aluminum alloy frame, a surprising choice given titanium's premium positioning.

iPhone 17 Pro models will reportedly use aluminum, not titanium.

This change is attributed to heat dissipation and cost considerations.

The iPhone 15 Pro and 16 Pro featured titanium frames.

The iPhone 17 Air will be the only model with a titanium-aluminum alloy frame.

The move away from titanium for Pro models is seen as a significant design shift.

Aluminum offers better thermal conductivity than titanium.

TechRadar's article suggests a significant material shift for Apple's upcoming iPhone lineup, with the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max reportedly moving away from titanium in favor of aluminum. This departure marks a reversal after titanium was introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro and featured in the iPhone 16 Pro models. The primary reasons cited for this change are Apple's focus on improving heat dissipation, as aluminum offers better thermal conductivity than titanium, and potential cost reductions. The move to aluminum is also expected to allow for new color options, as titanium's anodization capabilities were somewhat limiting in this regard. However, titanium will not disappear entirely from the iPhone 17 range. The newly introduced iPhone 17 Air model is rumored to exclusively feature a titanium-aluminum alloy frame. This is a surprising decision, as titanium has historically been positioned as a premium 'Pro' feature, and the Air is a lower-cost model. Reports indicate that the iPhone 17 Air's frame will use a titanium-aluminum alloy with a lower titanium content than previous Pro models. The article also touches upon the history of iPhone materials, noting previous use of aluminum, stainless steel, and the recent adoption and subsequent move away from titanium. The iPhone 15 Pro was the first to feature a titanium enclosure, lauded for its strength-to-weight ratio, but it was also associated with some overheating concerns. The iPhone 16 Pro continued with titanium. The return to aluminum for the Pro models is seen as a strategic move to balance performance, thermal management, and potentially manufacturing efficiency, while the iPhone 17 Air adopts titanium for its structural rigidity in an ultra-thin design. The article implies that while titanium offered durability, aluminum's thermal properties and ease of manufacturing at scale are now prioritized for the flagship Pro models.
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