The big change made to iPhone Pro models two years ago will be on just one model this year
Apple introduced titanium-framed Pro iPhone models with fanfare and is now subtly moving to aluminum.
A couple of years ago, Apple introduced a new titanium build for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max that made those models noticeably lighter than their predecessors. Apple kept the same build for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. But information from The Information indicates that Apple is making a big change once again. This time, only one iPhone 17 series model will reportedly have a titanium build. That model will be the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air.
The remaining three models, the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, will feature a frame made of aluminum. The rectangular camera housing on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, will also be built using aluminum. The bottom half of the rear panel will consist of glass to support wireless charging.
Apple has some 'splaining, to do Lucy. Why is the frame being changed? After all, the introduction of Titanium on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max came with great fanfare, and it did make those models much lighter than previous Pro and Pro Max iPhones. Those models were made with a stainless steel frame. While the use of titanium, as noted, made the iPhone 15 and 16 Pro models lighter, the new frames were not stronger and they were less likely to survive falls intact. In fact, these frames were often dented when a titanium model was dropped.
Apple heavily promoted the use of titanium on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. | Image credit-Apple
As usual, Apple is expected to introduce the new iPhone line in September, which makes the event less than two months away. Recently, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman estimated that this event will take place during the week of September 8th. To be more precise, Friday is out, and Apple tends to honor the memory of September 11th by not announcing new iPhones on that date. That leaves Tuesday, September 9th, or Wednesday, September 10th, as "more likely" dates when Apple will take the wraps off of the new iPhone models.
Apple is also expected to unveil another new iPhone early in 2026 with the introduction of the iPhone 17e. This will be the updated version of the iPhone 16e lower-priced model which now appears to be coming out every year. The iPhone 16e already features an aluminum frame, which means that the iPhone 17e is likely to have the same.
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