iPhone Fold design could be the first Apple iPhone ever with this combo

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Best of both worlds

iPhone fold on a blue background
(Image credit: Future)

Apple returned to aluminum for the entire iPhone 17 lineup, except for the new iPhone Air, which retained a titanium frame. Next year's much-rumored iPhone Fold could take a page from both books.

Analyst Jeff Pu claimed in an investor note (seen by MacRumors) that the foldable iPhone will feature a frame built from a combination of titanium and aluminum. Allegedly, he says that Apple will use titanium in both the iPhone Fold and next year's iPhone Air.

Durability

This isn't the first time we've heard about mixed materials in the foldable Apple device. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that the iPhone fold will look like "two titanium iPhone Airs side-by-side."

Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said earlier this year that the phone would have multiple metals, including a "liquid metal" hinge. Though Kuo said it would be titanium and stainless steel, not aluminum.

The iPhone Fold could be 4.5mm thin when opened, according to rumors, skinnier than the just-released iPhone Air. The titanium frame on the Air has proven to be a good decision.

The stronger metal has proven durable against multiple bend tests and is mostly resistant to "scratchgate."

Why the combination?

iPhone 17 Pro review.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

According to MacRumors, it's not clear how this combination will be implemented. Pu doesn't appear to clarify in his reports.

"Additionally, the metal frame will turn favorable on increasing usage of titanium, which will likely be adopted by iPhone 18 Fold (titanium + aluminum) and iPhone 18 Air," Pu is said to have written.

It's possible that Apple may use titanium for the stress-bearing areas of the frame, like the hinge. Aluminum, being lighter, would be used elsewhere to reduce the weight.

Supposedly, Apple switched to aluminum on the iPhone 17 Pro models for improved thermal performance, which is obvious in combination with the new vapor cooling chamber.

For now, it's rumored the iPhone Fold will feature a 5.5-inch cover display with a 7.7-inch interior screen. Its aspect ratio could be like that of an iPad.

Additionally, next year's iOS 27 is reportedly being built to optimize for the iPhone Fold's larger display, though time will tell how Apple executes that.

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Scott Younker
Scott Younker
West Coast Reporter

Scott Younker is the West Coast Reporter at Tom’s Guide. He covers all the lastest tech news. He’s been involved in tech since 2011 at various outlets and is on an ongoing hunt to build the easiest to use home media system. When not writing about the latest devices, you are more than welcome to discuss board games or disc golf with him. He also handles all the Connections coverage on Tom's Guide and has been playing the addictive NYT game since it released.

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