The rumor
Thus far, a few different sources have reported that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max (or iPhone 15 Ultra) could feature a new titanium design.
The Twitter leaker ShrimpApplePro, who has a decent though not perfect track record of accuracy, reported in November that the iPhone 15 Pro design would consist of a titanium case with rounded edges. This was also corroborated by JP Morgan Chase analyst Jeff Pu, who echoed the Twitter leak in an investor report earlier this month.
Apple has been working on an iPhone with a titanium chassis for several years. Multiple patent filings from the company have shown off its work in the area. But to get the clearest glimpse of what a titanium iPhone 15 Pro might bring to the table, we need to look at the Apple Watch.
Titanium iPhone 15 Ultra vs Apple Watch
The Apple Watch has been available in a titanium finish since the Apple Watch Series 5 was introduced in 2019. The Apple Watch Series 5 was available with a titanium finish in two colors – natural and space black. This marked the first time that Apple had used titanium in a product since way back in 2001 with the PowerBook G4.
The Apple Watch Series 6 was available in the same natural and space black titanium finishes, as was the Apple Watch Series 7 in 2021, which brings us to the current generation of the Apple Watch. This time around, the titanium finish is exclusive to the all-new Apple Watch Ultra.
There are two things we can take away from how Apple has used titanium in the Apple Watch lineup: colors and weight.
Perhaps most notable is the difference in weight between stainless steel and titanium. Over the years, Apple has sold Apple Watch models in both of those finishes. The iPhone lineup, however, has used stainless steel since the iPhone X in 2017.
Here’s a look at the difference in weight for the Apple Watch Series 7 in three different finishes. The Apple Watch Series 7 was the last generation of the Apple Watch that was available in three different materials with 41mm and 45mm sizes.
- 41mm:
- Aluminum: 32.0g
- Stainless steel: 42.3g
- Titanium: 37.0g
- 45mm:
- Aluminum: 38.8g
- Stainless steel: 51.5g
- Titanium: 45.1g
Then, there’s the Apple Watch Ultra, the only current-generation Apple Watch with a titanium finish. It’s also the biggest Apple Watch ever sold by Apple, with a 49mm case size. Here’s a breakdown of the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra:
- 41mm:
- Aluminum: 32.2g
- Stainless steel: 42.3g
- 45mm:
- Aluminum: 39.1g
- Stainless steel: 51.1g
- Apple Watch Ultra 49mm:
- Titanium: 61.3g
An Apple Watch Ultra made of stainless steel? That’d be unusable. The Apple Watch Ultra is only practical because of the titanium’s weight.
