Apple seems to have refrained from making a change, making the iPhone 17 less innovative than we thought.
The iPhone 17 will be less innovative
Next year’s iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will have a titanium casing, just like the current Pro models. This is in contrast to previous reports stating that Apple is opting for aluminum for its entire 2025 lineup. This new rumor comes from Weibo user ‘Instant Digital’ and would make the iPhone 17 less innovative if true.
Reported last month The Information that the iPhone 17 Pro models are the first high-end iPhones with an aluminum frame, since the iPhone lineup was divided into Pro and non-Pro models. Before the iPhone 15 Pro, the Pro models had a stainless steel frame. Then Apple introduced a titanium frame for the iPhone 15 Pro, calling it a major upgrade.
According to Instant Digital, Apple has consistently emphasized the high-quality materials of the Pro series frame. It’s one of the key selling points, from “surgical grade stainless steel” to “titanium.” According to Instant Digital, switching to aluminum is not a logical step and would actually make the iPhone 17 less innovative.
Nothing more than a rumor
It is unclear whether Instant Digital has more information to support its claim. As a standalone argument it is not particularly watertight. The Information reported that the move to aluminum is part of a major design change. The upper part of the back including the rectangular camera island would be made of aluminum instead of glass. The bottom part would remain made of glass to support wireless charging.
Apple is no stranger to promoting new iPhone features only to then remove them. For example, in 2015, 3D Touch was introduced on the iPhone 6s. That was a revolutionary way to communicate with the iPhone via pressure-sensitive gestures. Apple ditched 3D Touch and the sensors that made it possible in 2019 with the arrival of the iPhone 11.
Instant Digital
Additionally, Weibo user Instant Digital has a mixed reputation for accuracy with Apple rumors. But he also made some remarkably accurate predictions. These include the launch of the yellow iPhone 14 in 2023, the matte glass back on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, a minor refresh of the Apple Watch Series 9, spatial video recording on the iPhone 15 Pro, the addition of a landscape front camera on the iPad Air and iPad Pro, and the option for a nano-texture display on the iPad Pro.
The iPhone 17 series is expected to launch again in the fall, with new screen sizes, an ultra-thin model (Air), ProMotion displays across the lineup, and more.
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