iPhone 15 Pro rumored to ditch stainless steel for titanium: What we know

Among different modifications, this yr’s iPhone 15 Pro fashions are rumored to characteristic a brand new chassis made out of titanium for the primary time. This may make for a lighter design, further sturdiness, and extra. In reality, it might be one of many largest design modifications to the iPhone in years, marking an finish to the stainless steel period that began with the iPhone X in 2017.

The rumor

Thus far, just a few totally different sources have reported that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max (or iPhone 15 Ultra) may characteristic a brand new titanium design.

The Twitter leaker ShrimpApplePro, who has an honest although not excellent observe document of accuracy, reported in November that the iPhone 15 Pro design would encompass a titanium case with rounded edges. This was additionally corroborated by JP Morgan Chase analyst Jeff Pu, who echoed the Twitter leak in an investor report earlier this month.

Apple has been engaged on an iPhone with a titanium chassis for a number of years. Multiple patent filings from the corporate have proven off its work within the space. But to get the clearest glimpse of what a titanium iPhone 15 Pro would possibly deliver to the desk, we want to have a look at the Apple Watch.

Titanium iPhone 15 Ultra vs Apple Watch

The Apple Watch has been out there in a titanium end for the reason that Apple Watch Series 5 was launched in 2019. The Apple Watch Series 5 was out there with a titanium end in two colours – pure and house black. This marked the primary time that Apple had used titanium in a product since manner again in 2001 with the PowerBook G4.

The Apple Watch Series 6 was out there in the identical pure and house black titanium finishes, as was the Apple Watch Series 7 in 2021, which brings us to the present technology of the Apple Watch. This time round, the titanium end is unique to the all-new Apple Watch Ultra.

There are two issues we can take away from how Apple has used titanium within the Apple Watch lineup: colours and weight.

Perhaps most notable is the distinction in weight between stainless steel and titanium. Over the years, Apple has offered Apple Watch fashions in each of these finishes. The iPhone lineup, nevertheless, has used stainless steel for the reason that iPhone X in 2017.

Here’s a have a look at the distinction in weight for the Apple Watch Series 7 in three totally different finishes. The Apple Watch Series 7 was the final technology of the Apple Watch that was out there in three totally different supplies with 41mm and 45mm sizes.

• 41mm:
  • Aluminum: 32.0g
  • Stainless steel: 42.3g
  • Titanium: 37.0g
• 45mm:
  • Aluminum: 38.8g
  • Stainless steel: 51.5g
  • Titanium: 45.1g

Then, there’s the Apple Watch Ultra, the one current-generation Apple Watch with a titanium end. It’s additionally the largest Apple Watch ever offered by Apple, with a 49mm case measurement. Here’s a breakdown of the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra:

• 41mm:
  • Aluminum: 32.2g
  • Stainless steel: 42.3g
• 45mm:
  • Aluminum: 39.1g
  • Stainless steel: 51.1g
• Apple Watch Ultra 49mm:
  • Titanium: 61.3g

An Apple Watch Ultra manufactured from stainless steel? That’d be unusable. The Apple Watch Ultra is barely sensible due to the titanium’s weight.

9to5Mac’s Take

It’s no shock that titanium is lighter than stainless steel, however I discover it notably fascinating taking a look at what the variations have been within the Apple Watch lineup through the years. The Apple Watch presents us our solely have a look at how trendy Apple itself tackles utilizing titanium in a product.

In the iPhone lineup, Apple has used stainless steel edges for the reason that introduction of the iPhone X. Recent generations of the iPhone use aluminum within the non-Pro fashions and stainless steel within the Pro and Pro Max fashions. This, after all, means the iPhone 14 is lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro.

• iPhone 14: 172g
• iPhone 14 Plus: 203g
• iPhone 14 Pro: 206g
• iPhone 14 Pro Max: 240g

If the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max use titanium, they gained’t be lighter than the aluminum iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. They would, nevertheless, be noticeably lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, which characteristic stainless steel bands across the facet.

How a lot lighter? That’s up within the air at this level. Back-of-the-envelope math exhibits that the 45mm Apple Watch Series 7 in titanium was round 12% lighter than its stainless steel counterpart, which gained’t be immediately relevant to the iPhone lineup, however it’s good context.

Apple also can use the load financial savings offered by titanium to offset the addition of issues like new digicam {hardware} or larger batteries. It opens up a world of potentialities.

Personally, the concept of an iPhone 15 Ultra that’s 10% lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro Max sounds nice to me. I’ve been bored with the stainless steel edges since not less than the iPhone 13 Pro. The stainless steel is heavy, not to point out it’s an entire fingerprint magnet as effectively.

An iPhone 15 Ultra with titanium edges can be a dream come true. The iPhone has used stainless steel edges since 2017, and it’s time for a change. While we’re at it, let’s use the house black titanium that we noticed within the Apple Watch Series 7, too.