Report: iPhone 14 Pro Models to Feature Tough Titanium Alloy Chassis

Next year's "iPhone 14" series is expected to feature high-end models with a new titanium alloy chassis design, claims a new investors report by JP Morgan Chase.

iphone 12 pro gold
According to the report, the use of titanium alloy will be one of the biggest changes to the case design in the 2022 ‌iPhone‌ series, and Foxconn will be the exclusive manufacturer of the titanium frames for the high-end models.

If the report is accurate, the use of titanium in an ‌iPhone‌ would be a first for Apple. The company currently uses the material for some Apple Watch Series 6 models, and the physical Apple Card is made of titanium, but the latest iPhones are made of aluminum and stainless steel.

Compared to stainless steel, titanium has a relatively high hardness that makes it more resistant to scratches, and its stiffness makes it durable enough to withstand bending. It's as strong as steel but 45% lighter, and twice as strong as aluminum while being only 60% heavier. It's also more resistant to corrosion compared to many other alloys.

The material does have some drawbacks, though. Oil from fingerprints can be readily seen on bare titanium and titanium alloy surfaces, leaving unattractive marks on consumer devices. The hardness of titanium also makes it difficult to etch, which can make it less attractive.

However, Apple has been researching how it can overcome both of these issues. Recent patent filings reveal that Apple is looking at the use of thin oxide coatings for metal surfaces which can significantly reduce the appearance of fingerprints on devices. The company has also outlined a blasting, etching, and chemical process that can give titanium enclosures a high-gloss surface finish for a more attractive appearance.

Meanwhile, JP Morgan Chase's report also corroborates rumors that next year's ‌iPhone‌ will feature greater specification changes than the upcoming ‌iPhone‌ 13, suggesting that Apple is earmarking 2022 as an ‌iPhone‌ "supercycle," or a year in which dramatically more people than usual upgrade to the latest models.

The report corroborates other rumors that Apple does not plan to introduce a 5.4-inch ‌iPhone‌ 14 mini, with the mini line ending after the ‌iPhone‌ 13. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will instead offer two 6.1-inch iPhones and two 6.7-inch iPhones, so both the standard ‌iPhone‌ 14 and the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro will be available in those two size options.

The report also mentions the market rumor that Touch ID could return to the iPhone in some form, if not this year then next, either implemented in the side button or in the form of an in-display fingerprint sensor.

Other rumors suggest at least some 2022 iPhones will no longer have a notch, with Apple instead adopting a punch-hole design that's previously been used for some Android devices. For all the details on the rumors floating around for the ‌iPhone‌ 14, check out the last section of our iPhone 13 guide.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

iPhone Driver's Licenses: These 17 U.S. States Offer Them or Will Later

Thursday June 19, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states and Puerto...
apple watch ultra 2 new black

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Finally Coming After Two-Year Hiatus

Monday June 16, 2025 8:45 am PDT by
Apple will finally deliver the Apple Watch Ultra 3 sometime this year, according to analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities Hong Kong (via @jukanlosreve). The analyst expects both the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 to arrive this year (likely alongside the new iPhone 17 lineup, if previous launches are anything to go by), according to his latest product roadmap shared with...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in Three Months With These 12 New Features

Saturday June 14, 2025 5:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of June 2025:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14 Pro have a...
ios 26 call holding

iOS 26 Beta is Hiding a New Ringtone — Here's What It Sounds Like

Thursday June 19, 2025 7:25 pm PDT by
Apple is hiding a new ringtone within iOS 26. The new ringtone is an alternative version of the existing Reflection ringtone, which has been the default ringtone since the iPhone X was released in 2017. It was discovered within the code for the first developer beta of iOS 26, but it remains hidden, so you will not find it in the list of ringtones available in the Settings app for now. It...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.6 Public Beta

Wednesday June 18, 2025 10:24 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to public beta testers, with the betas coming just a few days after Apple provided the betas to developers. Testers who have signed up for beta updates through Apple's beta site can download iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update. When the...
General Spotify Feature

Spotify Preparing to Launch Long-Awaited Lossless Audio Tier on iPhone

Thursday June 19, 2025 1:46 pm PDT by
Spotify appears to be gearing up to launch its long-awaited lossless music tier. Chris Messina (via TechCrunch) and Spicetify (via The Verge) spotted new lossless references within the code for Spotify's desktop app and web player. With assistance from Aaron Perris, MacRumors has confirmed that the latest beta of the Spotify app for the iPhone also contains new lossless-related code....
new iphone lockscreen ios 26

iOS 26: Five Changes Coming to Your iPhone Lock Screen

Tuesday June 17, 2025 8:46 am PDT by
With iOS 26, Apple has made some additions to the iPhone Lock Screen that aim to make it more customizable than ever. Of course, things can always change before the software makes its way to the general iPhone-owning public, but here are five new things iOS 26 can do on the Lock Screen as of the current developer beta. Widgets Top or Bottom In iOS 18, the row of widgets on your Lock...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

Apple Says iOS 26 Won't Be Available on These iPhone Models

Tuesday June 10, 2025 6:58 am PDT by
Apple this week revealed that iOS 26 is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer. That means that iOS 18 is the end of the road for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, which were all released in 2018. However, those devices will continue to receive security updates for at least a few more years. iOS 26 is compatible with the following iPhone models: iPhone 16e iPhone...
Craig Federighi No

John Gruber Reacts to Apple Declining His Interview After His Criticism

Wednesday June 18, 2025 8:10 pm PDT by
Every year between 2015 and 2024, at least one Apple executive agreed to be interviewed by Daring Fireball's John Gruber for a special WWDC episode of his podcast, The Talk Show. Last year, for example, Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi, marketing chief Greg Joswiak, and top AI researcher John Giannandrea joined Gruber on stage at the California Theatre in San Jose to discuss...

Top Rated Comments

subjonas Avatar
51 months ago
As a small phone lover, I feel like I’ve been slowly disappearing.


At least Touch ID might be staying around.

Attachment Image
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FridgeToaster Avatar
51 months ago
2022: iPhone Edition with Titanium
2023: Hermès leather case
2024: iPhone Edition with 18K Gold
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
51 months ago
Now, this is a solid report ? hopefully Apple introduces titanium and ceramic iPhones.

Titanium Chassis + No notch. This is a solid upgrade already.

This will make the iPhone even more exclusive and premium. Moving towards the right direction.

P.S. I love my Titanium Apple Watch.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HeavenDynamic Avatar
51 months ago
yes, PLEASE. Titanium is so much better than stainless steel.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AmazeSE Avatar
51 months ago
This is great news. Titanium alloys are as strong as steel and lighter too. Best of both worlds.

This is good news to people who find the current Pro phones heavy due to the stainless steel frame.
The 14 Pros will be much lighter and as strong or maybe even stronger than the current ones.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Armada2 Avatar
51 months ago
Gonna wait for the iPhone 15 instead
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)