The iPhone 14 could become the toughest phone ever made by Apple. According to a report by JPMorgan Chase, the Cupertino company would start using a titanium alloy on Pro models. The rest of the range, meanwhile, would continue to use the well-known stainless steel or aluminum.
The financial company, which is one of the most renowned in the world, indicates in its report to Apple investors that the implementation of titanium would be one of the most relevant design aspects that the iPhone 14 would receive. In addition, the documentation seen by iPhone Wired, notes that the terminal will arrive in the second half of 2022.
The titanium alloy body of the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max is expected to be manufactured exclusively by Foxconn. Should this become a reality, the adoption of this material would not be news to Apple. The company already uses it in some models of the Apple Watch Series 6 and the Apple Card.
The titanium iPhone 14 and fingerprints
According to MacRumors, titanium is a very strong material. Its characteristics make it highly resistant to scratches. It is as hard as steel, but 45% lighter. It is also stronger than aluminum, but it is 60% heavier than aluminum. It is also strong against corrosion.
But not everything are advantages. If the material does not have an additional layer of protection, fingerprints are easily marked. This could be unattractive to future buyers of the iPhone 14. However, patent applications from Apple reveal that the company has been investigating how to deal with this problem.
Possible solutions for the iPhone 14 include an oxide coating or an innovative chemical process that, in addition to providing “anti-fingerprint” protection, would offer a high-gloss finish for a much more attractive appearance.
The data revealed in the report also indicates that the iPhone 14 will present greater changes in relation to the rumored iPhone 13. In addition, it says that Apple would drop the 5.4-inch mini version to focus on the 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch models, as well as bringing back the Toch ID, this year or next.