Apple Quietly Dumps Titanium After Just One iPhone — Why the 17 Pro Is Back to Aluminium

After a brief flirtation with titanium, Apple appears to be quietly returning to its roots. The tech giant's decision to drop the premium metal from its latest iPhone, after just one year, has left many wondering why.

Was it a cost-cutting measure, a solution for overheating issues, or a silent admission that titanium was a mistake?

After the debut of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max in 2023, Apple began marketing the phones with their new titanium frames. Although the company claimed these devices would be more durable, many customers reported issues with them overheating.

Apple's Shift from Titanium to Aluminium

The titanium frame on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max was praised for its rigidity and strength, yet Apple's new focus is on enhancing heat management. As a result, with the new A19 Pro chip and a vapour chamber cooling system on the way, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that the company has switched to aluminium, which is both lighter and more effective at dissipating heat.

'One other major change to the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max design will be a reversal: moving back to an aluminium frame after switching to titanium in 2023 with the iPhone 15 Pro. Aluminium is both lighter and dissipates heat far more effectively, which will be a nice change for anyone used to a 15 Pro or 16 Pro', Gurman said.

Based on Gurman's comments, Apple likely chose aluminium this year for its weight and ability to disperse heat, which are significant given other reports and rumours.

The Real Reason Apple is Dropping Titanium

Weight and heat are likely to be key factors for the iPhone 17 Pro. The 17 Pro models will be up against the new, extremely light and thin iPhone 17 Air. Therefore, any weight reduction in the Pro models will help narrow the difference between them.

With the iPhone 17 Pro Max reportedly getting a larger battery this year, using titanium again might have made it too heavy. Heat dissipation is becoming increasingly crucial, especially with the introduction of Apple Intelligence and other AI tools.

In his recent report, Ryan Christoffel, editor at 9To5Mac's MacStories, pointed out: 'The times my iPhone 16 Pro has gotten hot, it's been due to one of two things: Apple Intelligence features and The Camera app.'

There are over 20 new Apple Intelligence features expected in iOS 26, so AI is set to remain a core part of the iPhone experience. In addition, all signs point to a significant emphasis on camera upgrades for the 17 Pro line.

Apple is rumoured to be adding new heat management components to the iPhone 17 line, and switching from titanium to aluminium seems like a straightforward way to boost that benefit even further. Beyond performance, other factors may have influenced the decision to switch back to aluminium.

A Calculated Downgrade

The complexity of machining titanium, its slower production, and a higher rate of material waste also played a role. Unlike titanium, which requires specialised tools and precise CNC milling, aluminium is cheaper and easier to produce on a large scale.

In addition, aluminium has a smaller carbon footprint than titanium, particularly when sourced through Apple's low-carbon smelting partners. Given that aluminium can be recycled efficiently and on a large scale, it may be a better fit for the company's environmental strategy. In contrast, titanium's more energy-intensive production makes it less viable for widespread use.

Moreover, the new aluminium body on the iPhone 17 Pro series allows Apple to introduce new colour options, including a fresh dark blue and a vibrant orange finish. This suggests that titanium's anodisation limitations likely prevented Apple from offering brighter colours in previous Pro models.

However, titanium won't be completely phased out. It's expected to become a key feature of the new iPhone Air, a skinny model measuring just 5.6mm. The use of titanium is likely essential to ensure the phone remains structurally sound while achieving this unprecedented level of thinness.