Apple's iPhone 17 Pro might feature an unexpected downgrade

Key Takeaways

Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro & Pro Max might ditch titanium for aluminum frames.
The rear of the phone will be part-aluminum, part-glass and the camera bump will also be aluminum.
Some upgrades on the iPhone 17 lineup are expected, like Apple’s own Wi-Fi chip & an LTPO screen.

The rumor mill for the iPhone 17 series has been in full swing recently. With lots of speculation about the “iPhone 17 Air,” but now the focus is shifting to the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, which could feature major design shakeups.

According to a report from The Information, the iPhone 17 Pro/Pro Max could ditch Apple’s titanium frame design in favor of aluminum. Additionally, the phone’s rear camera bump will be made of aluminum instead of glass. This design change is an interesting move by Apple, given that it spotlighted the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro having a titanium frame in both devices’ marketing.

The iPhone 17 could be so much better with these 5 upgrades

Don’t expect most of these features to manifest in the near future, unfortunately.

Apple first adopted titanium in 2023

The return to aluminum is a downgrade, and likely a cost-saving measure

The iPhone 17 Pro is shaping up to be one of the most significant design changes in the iPhone Pro lineup in years. The phone’s rear could feature a new part-aluminum, part-glass design (via MacRumors). The top half of the phone will be made of aluminum, while the bottom half might be constructed of glass, so wireless charging still works. The new aluminum camera bump will also be rectangular rather than square like with the iPhone 16 Pro, and apparently, it’ll also be bigger.

Out of all the potential changes I expected for the iPhone 17 Pro, I have to say Apple potentially ditching titanium was not on my list. Apple first introduced a titanium frame on the iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max. Before that, all iPhone Pro models featured stainless steel frames. Apple’s departure from its use of titanium is a downgrade since the material is more durable, and the Cupertino-based company is likely returning to aluminum to cut rising costs. The base model iPhone lineup has had an aluminum frame design for several years now, dating back to the iPhone 11.

The entire iPhone 17 lineup is rumored to feature Apple’s in-house designed Wi-Fi chip and a new LTPO (low-temperature polycrystaline oxide) screen. LTPO screen technology allows for a higher refresher rate, while drawing less power, which could result in better battery life on all iPhone 17 models. Apple is widely expected to launch the iPhone 17 series in September 2025.