Apple May Keep iPhone 18 Pro Aluminum as AI Heat Blocks Titanium Return Before 2027
Updated
Updated · MacRumors · May 26
Apple May Keep iPhone 18 Pro Aluminum as AI Heat Blocks Titanium Return Before 2027
1 articles · Updated · MacRumors · May 26
iPhone 18 Pro is now expected to keep the same aluminum unibody as the iPhone 17 Pro, with leaker Fixed Focus Digital saying a titanium comeback is unlikely before 2027.
Local AI processing is the key constraint: the leaker says aluminum dissipates heat well enough for on-device workloads, while titanium is not practical for current Pro models.
That view directly rebuts an earlier claim that Apple was treating aluminum as a stopgap while developing liquid metal or improved titanium alloys for future devices, including a foldable iPhone.
Apple had already moved away from titanium after overheating complaints on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models, and the leaker says the thermal tradeoff is not unique to Apple because Android and HarmonyOS phones also favor aluminum.
With its best materials saved for the foldable, is the iPhone Pro no longer Apple's top innovation showcase?
Can Apple's Liquidmetal hinge finally deliver the creaseless foldable that has eluded rivals?