iPhone 14 high-end version will use a “luxury” titanium alloy frame

According to a recent report by financial services company JP Morgan Chase, next year’s “iPhone 14” series will feature high-end versions with a new titanium alloy chassis design.

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

If this information is correct, it will be the first time Apple has used titanium on an iPhone‌. Apple is currently using this material for some Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Card models, the current latest iPhones are made of aluminum and stainless steel.

Apple Card is made of titanium

Compared with stainless steel, titanium has a relatively high hardness that makes it more resistant to scratches, better bending force. It is as strong as steel but 45% lighter and twice as stiff as aluminum while only 60% heavier. It is also more resistant to corrosion than many other alloys.

However, this material has some disadvantages. Oil from user fingerprints can be easily seen on titanium and titanium alloy surfaces, leaving unsightly marks. Titanium’s hardness also makes etching difficult.

However, Apple has been working on ways to overcome both of these problems. Recent patent filings reveal that Apple is considering using a thin oxide coating on metal surfaces that could significantly reduce the appearance of fingerprints on devices. The company has also outlined a surface treatment, etching and chemical spray process that could give titanium a high-gloss surface for a more attractive appearance.

In addition to titanium, the JP Morgan Chase report also confirms rumors that next year’s ‌iPhone‌ will feature more dramatic spec changes than the upcoming iPhone 12 to iPhone 13, suggesting that Apple is marks 2022 as a “super cycle” for the iPhone, attracting more users to upgrade.

JP Morgan Chase also says that Apple has no plans to introduce the 5.4-inch ‌iPhone 14 mini‌, 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, both the standard ‌iPhone‌ 14 and the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro will have those two size options.

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

Other rumors suggest that at least some of the 2022 iPhones will no longer have a notch, instead, Apple will adopt the punch-hole design that was previously used for some Android devices.

Reference: Apple Insider