At first, I was not sold on the idea that Titanium was used in phone chassis, dismissing it as a bit of a marketing gimmick rather than a really useful feature. But then I spent time with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, and then made their successors, iPhone 16 Pro Max and Galaxy S25 Ultra, me for a Titanium conversion
My 180-degree turn in the statement of titanium stems from my habit of not using cases for flagship phones, as part of my appreciation of smooth industrial design. This is not mixed with an inherent clumsiness and unflaking, which often sees these expensive phones take a leap against hard floors and surfaces somehow.
Those with a stainless steel chassis would tend to chip, buck and scratch, but the aforementioned titanium-sports phones are a huge benefit of metal’s toughness and basically draws from the unintended border of border I give them.
So it’s my hope that more phones, including the probable upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, use titanium.
However, despite its toughness and relative ease, the rumored iPhone 17 Air will avoid titanium for an aluminum frame, all with the idea of maximizing thinness and ease. We’ve heard this rumor a few times, with the latest tip coming from the Korean-linguistic Yeux112 blog.
The blog, which allegedly has information about insider or supply chain, claims that aluminum will be used for the frame of iPhone 17 air as toughness takes a back seat in favor of ease.
Leaving me alumi-numb
After recently been in a wedding, I’m all too thinner and lighter phones that can help me avoid unwanted dents in my suit (stop laughing at the back). But I don’t want this to come at the expense of toughness, so the idea of aluminum in the iPhone 17 air has me to raise a cautious eyebrow.
I also like the heft of iPhones; There is just some safe solid and premium with the older Pro models and their stainless steel chassis.
I have since embraced titanium for the larger max phones as the easier weight makes the larger phones easier to handle one-handed. But much easier would risk making these flagship Apple phones feel potentially cheaper than their list prices.
That said, Apple may still be innovative from time to time, and I would not be surprised if the Cupertino herd is working on a form of alloy or design that draws the line between a superly and thin phone and one that will not be destroyed by the strange fall.
We’ve seen Apple do it with its ceramic shield glass, so maybe we could see the emergence of ‘aluminum armor’ with iPhone 17 Air; Time will show and it is likely to be at an Apple event in September.
