It seems very likely that all phones move back to aluminum this year… I was never a fan of the 15/16 pro designs because they seemed dull. Do these moves confirm that the design didn’t work as well as thought? I would actually love a return to shiny steel, plus a return to colorful aluminum…
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPhone 16 Pro Max Was the titanium design of iPhone 15/16 Pro a failure?
- Thread starter Adelphos33
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
There is strikingly little titanium in those phones compared to the way Apple made it appear on their website. A prominent YouTuber actually separated the titanium from the rest of the phone and it turns out only the outside of the frame contained titanium. It was a waste of time, in my opinion.
I think it was an attempt to make the phone lighter. I’d say initially it was a slight success because the 15 Pro Maxfor example, was 19 grams lighter. For whatever reason they lost some of that weight savings on the 16 Pro Max.
Unfortunately everything is about appearance rather than actual function when it comes to sales. Most people aren’t smart enough to realize just because something might be associated with cheap like aluminum (aluminum cans) it could actually be better. I’ve seen drop tests where the stainless steel Pro phones did worse because of the added weight. If it was up to me they’d all use aluminum. There’s no need for extra weight of stainless steel. I’m not using my iPhone as a serving utensil.
Unfortunately everything is about appearance rather than actual function when it comes to sales. Most people aren’t smart enough to realize just because something might be associated with cheap like aluminum (aluminum cans) it could actually be better. I’ve seen drop tests where the stainless steel Pro phones did worse because of the added weight. If it was up to me they’d all use aluminum. There’s no need for extra weight of stainless steel. I’m not using my iPhone as a serving utensil.
Titanium was the selling point because other than Ti, what else was different from iPhone 14 Pro? When you looked at the specs, it was marginally lighter. But people who wanted a light phone chose the regular model. So it was a lot of added cost without a lot of benefit.
Now that AI is the main selling point, Ti can be dropped.
Now that AI is the main selling point, Ti can be dropped.
It was a bit of a PR stunt given how little of it was actually Titanium. Even the frame was just ‘infused’ with it. Should have been entirely pure Titanium, chassis and all.
Agree about the marketing stunt but the switch from stainless steel rails to an aluminum frame covered by titanium does make the phone noticeably lighter, especially on the 15 Pro Max. The top of the phone doesn’t feel like it’s tilting downward when I hold the bottom half of the phone compared to the 14 Pro Max. 24 MP photos with Smart HDR 5 made it well worth the upgrade for me but not sure that’s a headlining feature that marketing could run with.
Titanium is great in that it's light and rigid, but it has several key drawbacks:
- It's expensive.
- It's an extremely poor thermal conductor relative to aluminum. (In theory this shouldn't have a huge impact given it's only used on the side frame but it certainly doesn't help heat dissipation either).
- It's more difficult to apply anodization or other color treatments, and has fewer colors it will accept.
I wish Apple would go back to stainless steel. Lighter is nicer but I don’t mind the little extra weight. I never understood how people complained about a single extra ounce in weight.
I liked how the stainless steel was smooth and provided a little more grip. I never felt like I needed a case when holding my 13 Pro and 14 Pro. My current 15 Pro feels like it’s going to slide right out of my hand when I hold it naked.
I liked how the stainless steel was smooth and provided a little more grip. I never felt like I needed a case when holding my 13 Pro and 14 Pro. My current 15 Pro feels like it’s going to slide right out of my hand when I hold it naked.
I also love the stainless steel on my 14 Pro and on my Watch Series 7, very solid material and the polished finish was beautiful.
Unfortunately I think they will no longer use steel but given the return of the glossy Jet black color on the Watch Series 10 in aluminum, they could also bring it back to the iPhone if they went back to making it in aluminum, to differentiate it from the matte finish of non-Pro iPhones
I don’t necessarily think that it means that it’s a failure, Apple just cycles through the same several materials over and over again when there’s nothing else to add.
This is not even the first time they have added titanium to a product just to remove it later.
There was a titanium PowerBook G4 in 2001.
It was replaced with an Aluminum PowerBook G4 in 2003.
iPods throughout the 2000s had a stainless steel back, these would all gradually become aluminum by 2012.
Even the iPhone, they just cycle through the materials and never really consider one more premium than the other.
The first iPhone was aluminum and plastic on the back, the next ones were plastic completely on the back, the next ones were glass and stainless steel, the ones after that were glass and aluminum, then they were aluminum with plastic antenna bands, then back to Glass and stainless steel, which became glass and aluminum, which became glass and titanium, and what do you know it they’re going back to aluminum again.
Maybe with the recent iPhone 16E coming in black and white, and there being so many complaints about the pro iPhones just coming in different shades of gray, they’re going to have a super colorful pro iPhone line this year and the only way to really do that is to go back to aluminum. Maybe they want to make the screen slightly bigger again and want to offset any additional weight by going back to aluminum.
Maybe they are switching because it’s a more environmentally friendly material.
The cynical (but probably correct) reason is that it’s a question of importance versus expense and aluminum is significantly cheaper for Apple and they know that most customers do not care.
This is not even the first time they have added titanium to a product just to remove it later.
There was a titanium PowerBook G4 in 2001.
It was replaced with an Aluminum PowerBook G4 in 2003.
iPods throughout the 2000s had a stainless steel back, these would all gradually become aluminum by 2012.
Even the iPhone, they just cycle through the materials and never really consider one more premium than the other.
The first iPhone was aluminum and plastic on the back, the next ones were plastic completely on the back, the next ones were glass and stainless steel, the ones after that were glass and aluminum, then they were aluminum with plastic antenna bands, then back to Glass and stainless steel, which became glass and aluminum, which became glass and titanium, and what do you know it they’re going back to aluminum again.
Maybe with the recent iPhone 16E coming in black and white, and there being so many complaints about the pro iPhones just coming in different shades of gray, they’re going to have a super colorful pro iPhone line this year and the only way to really do that is to go back to aluminum. Maybe they want to make the screen slightly bigger again and want to offset any additional weight by going back to aluminum.
Maybe they are switching because it’s a more environmentally friendly material.
The cynical (but probably correct) reason is that it’s a question of importance versus expense and aluminum is significantly cheaper for Apple and they know that most customers do not care.
I liked the titanium for a slight reduction in fingerprints, and the color matching my AWU at the time. I generally use my iPhone naked, but now I don’t have an AW and enjoy the matte aluminum of 16+.
The device has it, so Apple will use the opportunity to advertise it.
But it's no longer the headline feature like it was on iPhone 15 Pro. And nobody would miss it on iPhone 17 Pro given the focus has shifted to AI. We know Ti is heavier than Al, so if Apple wants a lighter device, they should use Al.
If we look at iPhone 17 Pro, there are enough differentiating features from the regular models like 6.3/6.9-inch vs 6.1/6.6-inch. For iPhone 15 Pro, it was only Ti and telephoto.
This. 15 and 16 were the peak of a form factor that started with iPhone 12. They culminated it with rounded edges and premium materials to make up for the small differences visually.
17 is gonna be a whole new design, so they do not need to increase cost on extra differentiating improvements. R&D on completely new chassis is already enough to start with if they want to keep the price somewhat reasonable
It’s not a failure to me, I like my natural titanium frame more than the polished ss on my iPhone 11 Pro.
I don’t like the “natural titanium” back glass as much tho.
Was it a marketing stunt? Yes.
Do I care? No, I got this thing used
I don’t like the “natural titanium” back glass as much tho.
Was it a marketing stunt? Yes.
Do I care? No, I got this thing used
I think Apple learned their lesson about jet black aluminium that goes into your pocket.
The increased weight of the 16 pro is cos of bigger display/body
The iPhone 7 had the back entirely in jet black aluminum. Now iPhones have a glass back, only the frame would be involved
That does make sense. Calculating the sizes the 16 Pro Max is about 3% larger so that would count for about a 3% weight increase. I suspect with the 17 Pro Max they will do something to make it lighter.
It was an attempt to retain the “premium” differentiation of the prior stainless steel while making it a bit lighter, and providing an upgrade motivation due to the change. But titanium is more difficult to color and likely more difficult to work with in general, in addition to being a more expensive material. I wouldn’t say it was a failure (it accomplished what it set out to), but really aluminum has the best material properties overall, and probably few people bought a Pro model solely because of the titanium. I see it mostly as a fashion cycle that is over now.
Personally I don’t like non-matte finishes (i.e. the stainless steel models), but I don’t buy Pro models anyway, due to their added weight and thickness.
Personally I don’t like non-matte finishes (i.e. the stainless steel models), but I don’t buy Pro models anyway, due to their added weight and thickness.
What I would like to know is what percentage of people never take their phone out of the case? I’m willing to bet that it’s at least 70% because most phones I see are in cases.
This being said none of this matters when it comes to premium look or feel. I really wish Apple would just prioritize function. I don’t want to carry an extra 100 grams of premium material for a premium look that I see for about three minutes on the day I get my new phone.
Maybe Apple needs to make a case version of their phones that removes all unnecessary “premium” weight and cost
This being said none of this matters when it comes to premium look or feel. I really wish Apple would just prioritize function. I don’t want to carry an extra 100 grams of premium material for a premium look that I see for about three minutes on the day I get my new phone.
Maybe Apple needs to make a case version of their phones that removes all unnecessary “premium” weight and cost
I don’t know if Apple improved on the polished aluminum since the iPhone 7, but if it isn’t any better than it was on the 7, I don’t want it. Lol
The 7 was beautiful when it first came out but it looked awful after a few months. I still have mine and it isn’t polished at all anymore.
Frames are not aluminum or titanium, they are alloys. Most of the comments here about aluminum this titanium that are factually way wrong. because the comments are about the pure metals which iPhone frames are never made from (stainless steel is an alloy by definition). It gets frustrating.
The reason it matters is because alloys or oxides often behave totally differently than the pure metals do.
The reason it matters is because alloys or oxides often behave totally differently than the pure metals do.
Last edited:
I am one of those that eschews cases because iPhones are now so very, very tough. But I like your idea that "Maybe Apple needs to make a case version of their phones that removes all unnecessary “premium” weight and cost." Unfortunately Apple cannot rely on vendors of cheapy cases to provide the structural strength that an iPhone needs, even if there were not people like me who far prefer bare iPhones.