iPhone 17 Pro could ditch titanium for aluminum, but will Samsung copy Apple again?

Apple made a big deal about switching to titanium with the iPhone 15 Pro series, swapping out stainless steel as the frame material. Stainless steel, albeit strong and durable, was very heavy, so the switch to titanium in the mid-frame of the iPhone 15 Pro series was a welcome move. A new report suggests that we’re now on our way back to an aluminum frame for the iPhone 17 Pro, marking a full circle for Apple as it gets off the titanium hype train.

An investor note from Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu (via Macrumors) suggests that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all have aluminum frames. Pu says that Apple’s plan to use aluminum for the iPhone 17 Pro is due to environmental concerns, as aluminum generally has a lower carbon footprint compared to titanium. Apple aims to achieve carbon neutrality across its products and supply chain by 2030, so this move becomes necessary. Pu says that some iPhone 17 models could thus be advertised as Apple’s first carbon-neutral iPhones.

Only three models in the iPhone 17 series are mentioned to sport a titanium frame. Notably missing is a mention of the presumed iPhone 17 Air, suggesting it would perhaps have a titanium frame. A previous leak from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had suggested that the iPhone 17 Air’s frame would use a mix of titanium and aluminum (same as the iPhone 15 Pro and 16 Pro series — even they sport a mix) but with a lower amount of titanium.

Leaker Majin Bu Official mentions that the information on the swap to an aluminum frame is “correct.” Leaker Jon Prosser, who recently leaked the design of the iPhone 17 Air and iPhone 17 Pro, mentions that the most recent versions they have seen feature an aluminum unibody. There is said to be no visible separation between the edges of the phone and the back.

Jon Prosser mentions that the iPhone 17 Pro could come with a refreshed design, but the iPhone 17 could look the same as the iPhone 16.

Keep in mind that all of these are leaks, and we would have to wait until later this year for more information from the company.

I disliked the stainless steel frame on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which made the phone as heavy as 240g (as much as some recent foldables) and was also a fingerprint magnet. I really appreciated the lighter weight of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the finish also did a significantly better job of hiding fingerprints. I also prefer the lighter weight for the non-Pro iPhone, so I feel optimistic about this aluminum shift. While yes, there would be one less differentiating factor between the regular iPhone and the iPhone Pro, my wrists would remain grateful for the switch.

Will Android flagships also ditch titanium?

On the Android side of the grass, several OEMs rushed to adopt titanium in their flagships when it became clear that Apple was going to do so, too. Samsung adopted titanium in the Galaxy S24 Ultra and Galaxy S25 Ultra. Even Xiaomi adopted titanium in the Xiaomi 14 Ultra special edition, but the standard edition retained aluminum for its frame.

It will be interesting to see which of these OEMs rolls back on the change in response to Apple — it will be easier for Xiaomi since they had a limited edition, whereas Samsung went all in on the titanium hype train. That’s what you get for copying Apple instead of having your own reasons.