The titanium alloy chassis for Apple’s ‘Pro’ models was introduced in 2023 when the company announced the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. This material was retained for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. However, based on the latest report from Bloomberg, the technology giant is taking not one step, but two steps backwards, because instead of stainless steel making a return to the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, Apple is reverting to aluminum. For those concluding that this is a significant downgrade, let us discuss in-depth on why this could be the firm’s best decision for its smartphones moving forward.
Aluminum is not just cheaper to mass produce for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, but also ensures better heat transfer
As a trillion-dollar company, despite how many critics Apple has garnered over the years, it does its best to provide quality products to the masses with stringent testing. Unfortunately, when you are shipping around 250 million units into the hands of customers annually, it is clear that no amount of testing will ensure that the devices leaving the factory will function flawlessly. For the iPhones flaunting that embellished titanium alloy frame, Apple actually employed an aluminum mid-frame that was sandwiched between the titanium rails for better heat transfer.
Based on the latest report that mentions the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max being treated to aluminum instead of titanium, Apple’s experiment with the iPhone 16 Pro’s material did not pay off. To overcome the overheating problem and ensure that the vapor chamber rumored to arrive for the two flagships works as intended, aluminum will be the ideal choice. It is significantly cheaper to manufacture, and according to AppleInsider, the carbon footprint per aluminum iPhone is less than that of a titanium one.
Most importantly, compared to stainless steel and titanium, aluminum offers the best thermal conductivity, with Max Weinbach sharing a chart on X, showing that the material’s superiority in this regard. Aluminum touts up to 33 times better thermal conductivity than titanium, with even stainless steel not offering a better alternative when comparing this specific property. It is possible that if aluminum does not make the final cut, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max equipped with a vapor chamber do not effectively dissipate heat with the other materials, making the cooling solution a waste.
Then again, with Apple’s ‘Awe Inspiring’ keynote scheduled to be held on September 9, the majority of elusive details that we have been searching for will be laid bare at the event, concluding which metal the company has used for its devices, so stay tuned.
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