There's a lot of uncertainty in the world, making it impossible to know what tomorrow might bring let alone what's going to happen months from now. But in these turbulent times, there is one thing I cling to with almost absolute certainty.
There is no way Apple is releasing a Pro version of the iPhone 17 next fall that doesn't feature titanium.
OK, I don't know that in the sense that I know two and two are four or that you don't mix bleach with ammonia. I certainly have no inside source at Apple piping information into my ear or mysterious renders that somehow found their way to my kitchen table. I am guessing as to what material Apple will use in next year's flagship phones based on what Apple's done with its past two iPhone releases.
But as far as guesses go, it's one I'm pretty confident about.
I shouldn't be, if the rumor mill has anything to say about it. Last week, reports surfaced that claimed to reveal Apple's plans for its iPhone 17 release, and the claim that got a lot of attention was the one suggesting that Apple would opt for a different material as the frame for the iPhone 17 Pro models currently in development well out of the public eye.
It's a big claim — one that almost immediately produced a counter-claim that the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max would be sticking with the titanium frame that's been a part of the Pro lineup since 2023's iPhone 15 Pro release. And if I were to pick sides, I tend to agree with that argument. Here's why.
What's ahead for the iPhone 17 Pro
The original rumor came from a report in The Information, which tipped a lot of different design details about the iPhone 17 lineup in general and the expected iPhone 17 Pro models in particular. Those Pro phones will apparently get a new back panel that's part glass and part aluminum, while the camera array is set to be a larger rectangular bump made out of aluminum.
But it's the titanium-for-aluminum rumor that's grabbed the most attention. According to The Information, all new iPhone models next year are supposed to feature aluminum frames, meaning no more titanium encasing the Pro and Pro Max.
The reasoning behind the rumored move makes some sense. While titanium is more lightweight than the stainless steel frames Apple used to employ for its Pro phones, you can get even lighter by turning to aluminum. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are each an ounce lighter than their Pro counterparts, for example. (Though to be fair, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are also smaller than the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.) And with Apple reportedly working on an iPhone 17 Slim for next year, thin and light sound like they're going to be the guiding principles for iPhone design going forward.
There are some other reasons given for the potential switch, namely that aluminum is more eco-friendly than titanium. I've also read speculation about Apple changing materials out of caution over upcoming tariffs the next presidential administration might impose, but I'm not sure I buy that, as design decisions about the iPhone 17 were probably settled long before the U.S. election was.
Why I think titanium is the (near-term) future
So there's a case to be made for dropping titanium from the iPhone 17 Pro spec sheet. I just don't see it happening, given all the weight — sorry — Apple has put behind that feature.
Go to Apple's iPhone 16 Pro page right now. Obviously, Apple Intelligence is the first thing that greets you on the page, since that's the big new additions to iPhones this year. But you don't have to scroll too far down the page to get to the first very prominent mention of titanium and what it brings to the Pro phones. Apple could talk about a lot of features after its Apple Intelligence teaser — cameras, battery life, and so on — and yet it's titanium that's first up.
Go and pick out an iPhone 16 Pro color. Each one has the word "Titanium" in their name — Desert Titanium, White Titanium, Black Titanium and Natural Titanium. Apple very much wants you to know what its phone is made out of.
Yes, phone makers can change their mind about what to promote and how — Apple's certainly done so in the past. But two years of touting the merits of titanium only to turn around and try out a different material — one that's more associated with Apple's less premium phones — seems like a rather abrupt about-face.
And that brings up the final reason I think Apple will stick with titanium for its Pro models rather than adopting the samer materials for each of its iPhone 17 offerings. Apple has spent recent years trying to differentiate the standard iPhone from the Pro version, with an eye toward persuading people that they should pay up for the higher-end model. I just don't see Apple giving up a clear distinguishing feature for the iPhone 17 Pro, without having something else lined up to tout instead.
iPhone 17 Pro outlook
I say all this with the understanding that the original report has it right and that I'm completely wrong in my iPhone 17 Pro guesswork. If so, feel free to print out a copy of this article and wave it dismissively at me once the all-aluminum future of the iPhone 17 Pro comes to pass, though that would be an awfully weird hobby to have, if you don't mind my saying.
Still, not every iPhone rumor ends up panning out. And I'm pretty confident reports of titanium being on the outs is one of them.
More from Tom's Guide
- iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 16: Biggest expected changes
- Best iPhones
- iPhone SE 4: All the rumors and what we want to see
