Other What's your opinion on Titanium frame in the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro Max

[maverick786us]

With rumors that iPhone 15 Pro Max will replace the stainless steel frame with a titanium frame.

The only Titanium apple product that I have is Apple Watch Ultra. Despite the fact that it's its the most premium apple watch. When I compare this Ultra model with Apple watch stainless steel golden, it looks dull, it lacks the premium look, feel and stylish that we see in golden stainless steel variant.

So in nutshell if you are wearing a golden stainless steel apple watch in some function, party it will come to everyone's attention. However if you wear an Ultra Model, despite having titanium finish it will look like an ordinary apple watch to most of the non tech people.

I love the shiny stainless steel frame in current iPhone Pro max series, but if apple replaces it with Titanium frame, will it look dull like Apple Watch Ultra series? What's your opinion on Titanium frame? Unless apple launches an ultra model for iPhone series, we don't have a choice to select Stainless steel or Titanium.

 

[rumz]

If the Max has a titanium frame and it’s notably lighter than previous generation Max models, that would be the selling point for me. But, I tend to use cases so looks are secondary to me. I switched to the Pro (non-Max) version a couple years ago because I got tired of how heavy and bulky the Max was.

 

[mectojic]

Titanium does look rather worse than aluminium. That's why Apple swapped from Titanium to Aluminium back in 2003, they tried to paint the TiBook and the chipped paint looked absolutely horrible.

 

[maverick786us]

If the Max has a titanium frame and it’s notably lighter than previous generation Max models, that would be the selling point for me. But, I tend to use cases so looks are secondary to me. I switched to the Pro (non-Max) version a couple years ago because I got tired of how heavy and bulky the Max was.

Yes I like metallic properties of Titanium, that's way lighter than stainless steel, and tensile strength more or less the same as Stainless steel. Though I take care of my gadgets a lot but if it falls (God Forbid) with light weight, it will have less damage.

But if you are spending a fortune on an iPhone model, looks cannot be ignored, I am not sure if there is an option of providing shiny coating in Titanium to make it look good and feel premium.

 

[maverick786us]

Titanium does look rather worse than aluminium. That's why Apple swapped from Titanium to Aluminium back in 2003, they tried to paint the TiBook and the chipped paint looked absolutely horrible.

 

[rumz]

Yes I like metallic properties of Titanium, that's way lighter than stainless steel, and tensile strength more or less the same as Stainless steel. Though I take care of my gadgets a lot but if it falls (God Forbid) with light weight, it will have less damage.

But if you are spending a fortune on an iPhone model, looks cannot be ignored, I am not sure if there is an option of providing shiny coating in Titanium to make it look good and feel premium.

I’ll generally agree on looks— I did not care for the titanium model Apple Watch a few generations back. I do like the Ultra though overall.

But for my phone, I actually wouldn’t mind the aluminum frame. I wish the Pro models had some more colorful options like the standard line do.

 

[maverick786us]

I’ll generally agree on looks— I did not care for the titanium model Apple Watch a few generations back. I do like the Ultra though overall.

But for my phone, I actually wouldn’t mind the aluminum frame. I wish the Pro models had some more colorful options like the standard line do.

I wasn't criticizing apple watch Ultra. No doubt its an amazing watch with robust finish. But I feel that if you are spending 799$ on a wrist watch, that watch needs to have some premium look and feel, the elegance, instead of looking like a sports watch. Apple watch Nike Edition, that apple discontinued a couple of years ago, too is more a of a sports watch, but it looks bit premium and elegant.

Let me put it this way, a golden stainless series 8 apple is what a classis swatch watch was before the time of smartwatches and an apple watch ultra is like a premium sports watch from Casio, which is no doubt an amazing watch but not designed for parties, functions or some formal events.

 

[The Game 161]

will be lighter

 

[outlawarth]

Right now the iPhone Pro models have that premium look and feel to them. I also actually like some heft to my phones so it doesn't feel like I'm holding a plastic toy in my hand.

Will that premium feel carry on with titanium? Time will tell.

 

[Hrududu]

Titanium does look rather worse than aluminium. That's why Apple swapped from Titanium to Aluminium back in 2003, they tried to paint the TiBook and the chipped paint looked absolutely horrible.

Not exactly. They painted the composite bezel around the lower case and clutch covers which were not made of titanium. The titanium metal on the bottom, screen, palm rest etc did just fine. The argument could be made that the computer was a little flimsy compared to its Aluminum successor, but that was largely due to how the frame and case were built and assembled vs the actual metal itself not being as good.

 

[fwmireault]

I think Titanium is a more appropriate material for the Pro lineup as it is much lighter than stainless steel, and those phones are already quite heavy. That said, I really love the shiny SS frame and I think that Titanium will not be as visually appealing.

 

[kp98077]

will be lighter

I wonder how much lighter we could expect the max to be? 20%?

 

[Nbd1790]

I can agree with the looks aspect of Titanium vs Stainless. I like having the stainless steel Apple Watch because it looks a little nicer BUT. I'm someone who hates the increasing weight of the Pro models every year. It's crazy how much of a weight difference there is between the standard and pro models that are the same size.

The watch is something I can totally agree with you on, but not so much the phone. I'd be willing to bet that 75%+ people use a case on their phone, rendering the frame sort of irrelevant (when it comes to looks). Titanium is lighter and more durable. As much as I'd love to use a Pro model without a case, even handling it with extreme care - the stainless steel is going to get worn out looking from baby scratches etc (just from even going in and out of pockets).

As you mentioned, the Ultra is geared toward people who are more active than the average person and find themselves in harsher conditions generally speaking (not people who put the looks of the product first). The stainless steel model is geared more toward people who care about the aesthetics. A majority of people who use Apple Watches typically don't use any sort of case / protector on them so it makes sense to keep both stainless and titanium around together.

Unfortunately, I don't see that being the case with the iPhone.

 

[ripsaw650]

I'm guessing the weight saved by going to Titanium will be off-set by the weight of a larger battery. Wasn't there just a rumor about a "new" battery technology that "could" be in the 15's? Maybe they needed to save weight on the frame material to make up for the extra weight of the new battery?

 

[theorist9]

I think the Al in the standard iPhone is the functionally superior material. It has a higher stiffness:weight ratio than both Ti or stainless steel (SS), and thus gives a lighter phone. Particularly if you're an active person, I don't understand why you would want a mobile device, particularly one you hold in your hand, to be heavier. Al is softer than Ti or SS, making it more prone to scratching; and it lacks SS's beauty. But since it's in a case, those doesn't matter.

If they want to build an iPhone from a truly premium material, and not simply one that looks better, they should use beryllium (or AlBeMet, which is a beryllium-aluminum alloy).

 

[jz0309]

will be lighter

By how much?
Ti is appr 40% lighter than stainless steel..
How heavy is the current stainless steel drone? 30 grams? Can’t find that info anywhere but let’s just say on the high side it were 50 grams, then a Ti frame would be 30 grams… and I think it weighs less than 50 grams…
So people think 20 grams is noticeable?

 

[mjpearce023]

By how much?
Ti is appr 40% lighter than stainless steel..
How heavy is the current stainless steel drone? 30 grams? Can’t find that info anywhere but let’s just say on the high side it were 50 grams, then a Ti frame would be 30 grams… and I think it weighs less than 50 grams…
So people think 20 grams is noticeable?

20gs is quite a bit. The difference between the 13 (174gs) and the 13pro (204gs) is only 30gs and the 13 feels way lighter in hand. If they could get the 15 pro down to 11pro territory (188gs) I would be more than happy. The 11 pro was much more comfortable to use one handed.

 

[The Game 161]

By how much?
Ti is appr 40% lighter than stainless steel..
How heavy is the current stainless steel drone? 30 grams? Can’t find that info anywhere but let’s just say on the high side it were 50 grams, then a Ti frame would be 30 grams… and I think it weighs less than 50 grams…
So people think 20 grams is noticeable?

It should be noticeable

 

[Surfsalot]

Nah the bigger battery will make it similar.

 

[ssledoux]

IDK what to think. I like the weight and feel of the aluminum myself, even though the SS looks nice. I always have my phone in a case though, so weight is more important to me than looks, although even as I type that I still hope it’ll look good. ;-p

 

[JamesMcFlyJR]

Me personally as a 13 Pro Max user, I dont mind the weight at all. In fact, I like it because I feel it constantly in my pocket, so if its missing Ill know right away.

I also like the premium feeling of the Stainless Steel

So im super interested in how Apple implements titanium in the iPhone Pro models. Im upgrading to the 15 Pro Max regardless, but I do hope they do a shiny/polished titanium on the sides (I know a good percentage of people hate the shiny part of the stainless steel iPhones but I prefer it).

If Apple does do polished titanium plus stronger plus maybe a little bit lighter (as a result of the material change), I would be pretty happy

 

[ChedNasad]

I feel like I am going against the grain here but I love the look/finish on the Ultra and think it looks much better than the stainless steel. (I will say until I got mine I did not expect to like it this much. The promotional videos and photos didn't do it justice)

The polished finishes look way too gaudy and get scratched up/smudged like crazy. My ideal finish for any product that has metal would be durable, relatively matte, and fingerprint proof. Titanium that matches the Ultra watch would be all that. If they go that route with the new iPhones, I might snatch one up and go case-less for once.

 

[maverick786us]

Me personally as a 13 Pro Max user, I dont mind the weight at all. In fact, I like it because I feel it constantly in my pocket, so if its missing Ill know right away.

I also like the premium feeling of the Stainless Steel

So im super interested in how Apple implements titanium in the iPhone Pro models. Im upgrading to the 15 Pro Max regardless, but I do hope they do a shiny/polished titanium on the sides (I know a good percentage of people hate the shiny part of the stainless steel iPhones but I prefer it).

If Apple does do polished titanium plus stronger plus maybe a little bit lighter (as a result of the material change), I would be pretty happy

I own iPhone 12 Pro Max, I can feel the weight, but its not a problem for me, if 15 Pro Max adds more weight by few ounces I won't notice it. I use transparent cases, so it doesn't cover the shiny look and feel. The reason I like shiny, over matt is because it looks like a peace of jewelry.

If we recall the past, how many of us liked the design of iPhone 6 series over 5s? No doubt that 6 was a major upgrade over 5s but if we just talk about design, it was dull and boring, while golden iPhone 5s looked like a miniature marvel a tiny peace of jewelry . Well that's my opinion. Some people might agree with it some people may not.

In this article, the next version of iPhone Pro Max will be slightly thick compared to current generation.

iPhone 15 Pro dummy unit gets compared to iPhone 14 Pro to highlight differences

The iPhone 15 Pro dummy and iPhone 14 Pro face off in leaked photos.

www.phonearena.com

We all like slim form factor, I am no different in this case. But then we are not using our iPhone Pro max as a razer blade and slim form factor is good to the certain extent where it doesn't affect our grip while holding your device. Making it slightly thick is bit disappointing, but I was looking at the bright side.

1. The camera nudge reduced.
2. There will be significant boost in the battery
3. Although the speakers of iPhone Pro Max series are already state of the art, by making it slightly thick, those speakers will get much better.

In fact by making it slightly thick I wish apple would have given the shapes an arc shape to those buttons (just like the way it was with iPhone 4s and 5s). But with 16 Pro Max series, the buttons will be completely replaced by solid state buttons so changing the shape for just one iteration isn't right.

 

[maverick786us]

I can agree with the looks aspect of Titanium vs Stainless. I like having the stainless steel Apple Watch because it looks a little nicer BUT. I'm someone who hates the increasing weight of the Pro models every year. It's crazy how much of a weight difference there is between the standard and pro models that are the same size.

The watch is something I can totally agree with you on, but not so much the phone. I'd be willing to bet that 75%+ people use a case on their phone, rendering the frame sort of irrelevant (when it comes to looks). Titanium is lighter and more durable. As much as I'd love to use a Pro model without a case, even handling it with extreme care - the stainless steel is going to get worn out looking from baby scratches etc (just from even going in and out of pockets).

As you mentioned, the Ultra is geared toward people who are more active than the average person and find themselves in harsher conditions generally speaking (not people who put the looks of the product first). The stainless steel model is geared more toward people who care about the aesthetics. A majority of people who use Apple Watches typically don't use any sort of case / protector on them so it makes sense to keep both stainless and titanium around together.

Unfortunately, I don't see that being the case with the iPhone.

This is an interesting discussing (I apologize if I am going bit off the topic). When it comes to wearable aesthetics matters, and when we talk about Apple watch ultra, the world's most expensive wrist watch (the reason I am calling it world's most expensive wrist watch, most of us in this form are techies, so smartwatch is the way to go, because of the age of non smart watch is over 😁😁😁😁) apple shouldn't ignore the aesthetics and make it an all round watch. I hope they do it with the next generation Apple watch ultra.

 

[dk001]

Anything that drops the weight of the Pro line is a welcome addition. If a Pro is all you use, you get used to it. If you have more than one device or swap between devices, it becomes very noticeable. Besides, not a fan of the shiny.