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Apple to Forge 'iPhone 8' Chassis Frame From Stainless Steel Instead of Aluminum

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Apple is expected to adopt a forged stainless steel crafting process for its glass-encased "iPhone 8", rather than use traditional aluminum CNC machining.

Taiwanese sources from the upstream supply chain apparently confirmed the transition on Tuesday, according to DigiTimes, with component orders expected to be shared between Foxconn and U.S.-based Jabil.

iphoneconceptimage.jpg
Edge-to-edge iPhone concept image via ConceptsiPhone​
The next-generation iPhone is expected to abandon its conventional aluminum back cover design and will adopt a new design using two reinforced glass panes and a metal frame in the middle. The metal bezel will be made of stainless steel using a forging process to enhance its sturdiness and reduce costs and manufacturing time.
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The stainless steel process was last used by Apple in the iPhone 4s handset, which encased a "glass sandwich" chassis in two CNC-machined steel bands. However, every succeeding iPhone iteration has used aluminum because the alloy offers heightened structural rigidity while remaining relatively lightweight.

Supply chain sources said the cost of the forging process is between 30 percent and 50 percent cheaper than the current unibody CNC machine process, while quality control is also more stable. Despite the switch, Apple is expected to continue outsourcing orders for internal structural parts to Catcher Technology and Casetek, because the stainless steel bezel will require further refinement using traditional CNC machining.

Today's report supports recent rumors indicating at least one model of iPhone this year will have a redesigned all-glass body with a steel frame housing an edge-to-edge, curved OLED display. Jony Ive has wanted to introduce an iPhone that looks like a single sheet of glass for several years, and glass is also necessary if Apple wants to introduce wireless charging. If an edge-to-edge display does feature, the home button and Touch ID fingerprint sensor would be embedded in the display.

Apple is said to be planning to position the OLED iPhone 8 as a "Premium" model that will perhaps be sold alongside standard flat display 4.7, 5, and 5.5-inch iPhone models, but details relating to size, configurations, and materials used remain sketchy.

Article Link: Apple to Forge 'iPhone 8' Chassis Frame From Stainless Steel Instead of Aluminum
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/01/10/apple-iphone-8-chassis-stainless-steel-aluminum/
I just keep thinking this is gonna be another "iPhone 5" level of disappointment when they actually announce it. (Ya know... the whole year we kept getting amazing and really cool "leaks" and concepts, only to come face to face with the iPhone 4S). Either way I'm upgrading from a 6S+ for the camera improvements so I hope it's amazing. But I will never forget that year, we had 1 or 2 leaks of the actual device, and each time everybody just said "no Apple will go WAY bigger and better than that...", didn't we have a leak a little bit ago that said the device will just be the 7S?
 
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Hopefully it's only an option and not all iPhones become significantly heavier due to used materials.
 
The plus series will be very heavy and people will raise lawsuit that iPhone break their arm
 
kildraik said:
Only $750 for the year if you upgrade with Apple's program. Well worth it... should it be as gorgeous as pictured. Hoping it will be a piece of engineering worthy of drool. For now, they remain as appliance-worthy as a Honda.

I want that, "New Porsche," feeling again.
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This. Almost every update after the iPhone 4 was just "oh well that might be useful somewhere, and it looks not-hideous" I want a device that wows again. I remember seeing the lost iPhone 4 and just hoping that it was the actual thing because it was just something beautiful, kinda like a Lamborghini, even if you don't have it, it's really nice to see it in the wild. The 6 design is the most boring and "well it works" design, worse than the soft touch plastic in my opinion because at least that makes the phone easier to hold. It was an awful copy of the HTC One, it actually looked nice. It's hilarious because the glass-backed Samsung's are in my opinion the prettiest devices on the market, I just can't deal with android again.
 
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Hopefully it's not super reflective and shiny? Will look cool straight out of the box but will end up being a scratch magnet like my stainless steel Apple Watch and the first iPod Touch I owned. Not a very durable material if you ask me. Especially not for something that's going to get beat up as much as an iPhone. Maybe the Jet Black 7 was a litmus test to see if 'Scratchgate' became a 'thing'?
 
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JamonBull said:
Will look cool straight out of the box but will end up being a scratch magnet like my stainless steel Apple Watch and the first iPod Touch I owned. Not a very durable material if you ask me. Especially not for something that's going to get beat up as much as an iPhone. Maybe the Jet Black 7 was a litmus test to see if 'Scratchgate' became a 'thing'?
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The iPhone 4's stainless steel band, didn't scratch.
 
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plexdk said:
The iPhone 4's stainless steel band, didn't scratch.
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It certainly did ... it scratched really badly until they silently changed the band to incorporate a coating to lessen AntennaGate. I remember taking my iPhone 4 out of it's bumper to clean it and the band was scratched to feck. Got the phone replaced due to dust in the camera lens and the replacement had the coating on the band and didn't scratch anywhere near as badly.
 
plexdk said:
The iPhone 4's stainless steel band, didn't scratch.
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It did pop out at the points where the antenna plastic was though due to drops, I wonder if that would be an issue here as well.
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MrGimper said:
It certainly did ... it scratched really badly until they silently changed the band to incorporate a coating to lessen AntennaGate. I remember taking my iPhone 4 out of it's bumper to clean it and the band was scratched to feck. Got the phone replaced due to dust in the camera lens and the replacement had the coating on the band and didn't scratch anywhere near as badly.
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I had the Verizon version so I never had to deal with either, although I never heard about a coating on the bands, I thought it was a problem until the 4S, which incorporated the antenna design of the Verizon 4. Where did you here about the coating? And if so then didn't Apple solve its scratching problem years ago with the coating? Slap it on the new phone and theoretically it should be a lot harder to scratch than the soft aluminum they've been using.
 
acorntoy said:
It did pop out at the points where the antenna plastic was though due to drops, I wonder if that would be an issue here as well.
[doublepost=1484047428][/doublepost]

I had the Verizon version so I never had to deal with either, although I never heard about a coating on the bands, I thought it was a problem until the 4S, which incorporated the antenna design of the Verizon 4. Where did you here about the coating? And if so then didn't Apple solve its scratching problem years ago with the coating? Slap it on the new phone and theoretically it should be a lot harder to scratch than the soft aluminum they've been using.
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I don't think Apple admitted it, but there was a lot of hearsay and comment that a coating had been used. The band also looked and felt different. The original uncoated was silver and cold to touch, whereas the coated was subtly more grey, not as cold, and felt a bit smoother. It almost felt like it had been sprayed with a spray can.

Edit: Added a link http://www.ifixit.com/blog/2010/07/13/is-apple-silently-fixing-the-iphone-4-antenna-issue/
 
So this article potentially debunks the previous rumors of the iPhone carrying over the same design and materials used from the 6s/7. If this is accurate, this iPhone would overhaul the design with glass and stainless with the an edge to edge design, perhaps with OLED.

I believe this article is indicative of what we will see in September.
 
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