This is how Apple plans to save the iPhone 17 Air from Bendgate 2.0
In a note to investors seen by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu claims the iPhone 17 Air will be the only new model to use titanium. That would be a baffling choice, considering how much Apple has invested in promoting the premium material for its Pro phones since the release of the iPhone 15 Pro. At first sight, that would be a confusing choice for the iPhone 17 Air because titanium is a heavier material than aluminum. The idea of the super-slim device is to be as lightweight and thin as possible, so utilizing a heavier material doesn't make sense.
Titanium is a stronger material than aluminum, though. Perhaps Apple still remembers the drama of the iPhone 6 Plus and the Bendgate scandal that followed its release. In that context, using titanium for the iPhone 17 Air 's ultra-thin chassis sounds like a great idea. Samsung also uses titanium for the frame of the Galaxy S25 Edge. The super-slim flagship weighs 163 g, which is significantly lighter than the 190 g of the Galaxy S25 Plus, which has the same display size.
The bigger change would be the iPhone 17 Pro featuring an aluminum frame. Since the iPhone X, all Pro iPhones have had either stainless steel or titanium frames. How Apple would justify such a change might be one of the more interesting things to look for during the iPhone 17 premiere, which is expected in September.
Aluminum frames were already rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models before. The iPhone 17 Air was claimed to feature a titanium-aluminum alloy, with a lower percentage of titanium.
I think this rumor makes sense, especially considering other rumors about the upcoming iPhones. One of the more interesting reports from recent days claimed the Pro models might finally get brighter colors, such as orange and dark blue. That would be much easier for Apple to achieve with an aluminum frame. As for the usual slew of muted colors, the iPhone 17 Air might continue that tradition. Secure your connection now at a bargain price!
We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Phone Arena
19 minutes ago
- Phone Arena
WPC teases major announcement for next week about a "new era of wireless charging"
The Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) has posted a teaser on "X" that says, "Heading into a new era of wireless charging in T-Minus 1 week… Stay tuned." This could be exciting, and the announcement, based on the aforementioned comment, would be expected to come on July 23rd. The teaser shows a green lightning bolt icon with the phrase, "It's coming" underneath the image. The WPC owns the Qi trademark which is the most well known wireless charging standard in the mobile space. Qi 2.2 will not only allow Apple to improve wireless charging speeds for the iPhone, but it will also charge more efficiently, better align the magnets, and be backward compatible. The latter means that older iPhone models will be able to use Qi 2.2, although the platform won't be able to run at its full potential on those models. The WPC's teaser about a new era of wireless charging. | Image credit-WPC The big announcement could also simply introduce more features for Q1 2.2 or announce the first smartphone series to employ the new standard, which could be the Google Pixel 10 line. Even if the upcoming Pixel line does support Qi 2.2, no Pixel yet has ever shipped with magnets to help the user properly align the phone with the wireless charging circuitry. That could soon change. Last month, we told you that Google is supposedly working on a feature dubbed "Pixelsnap" that would debut on the Pixel 10 series. This would include accessories available for the Pixel 10 models that would allow for the use of magnetic alignment. It's possible that we will learn more about this next week when the WPC makes its announcement. However, the organization's statement about "a new era of wireless charging" would seem to indicate that whatever the WPC announces next week, it will be about more than juat offering Qi 2.2 support for one new phone series. So now we have to sit back and eagerly await next Wednesdays announcement to learn all about the upcoming new era of wireless charging. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Phone Arena
an hour ago
- Phone Arena
Google's new AI tools in Search can now call businesses and do deep research for you
Google is rolling out new AI-powered features to make Search more helpful, especially for users subscribed to its premium tiers. These include Gemini 2.5 Pro support in AI Mode, access to Deep Search, and a new tool that lets Search call local businesses on your behalf. The biggest update is the arrival of the Gemini 2.5 Pro model in AI Mode. While the regular AI Mode already provides useful responses for most everyday queries, the Pro option adds support for more complex tasks like reasoning, math problems, and coding help. Users can now choose between the default assistant and Gemini 2.5 Pro using a new drop-down menu in Search. Gemini 2.5 is now available in Search's AI mode. | Image credit — Google In addition to that, Google is expanding access to its most advanced research feature: Deep Search. When enabled, Deep Search works in the background to issue hundreds of related searches, scan across the web, and produce a detailed, well-sourced summary based on the Gemini 2.5 Pro model. This tool is meant for deeper research on topics like job planning, financial analysis, or big life decisions. It's currently available for Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers who have joined the AI Mode Labs experiment in the U.S. Video credit — Google Another new capability now rolling out is AI-powered business calling. If you search for something like 'dry cleaners near me' or 'pet groomers in my area,' Google may offer a 'Have AI check pricing' option in the search results. When selected, Search will contact businesses on your behalf to collect pricing and availability info, then summarize the results for you. Video credit — Google This feature aims to save time by removing the need to make calls yourself, and could help businesses get more bookings through Google. It's available to all users in the U.S., but higher usage limits apply for Pro and Ultra subscribers. Businesses still control how they are contacted through their Business Profile updates are part of Google's broader push to bring more advanced AI tools directly into Search. While many of the newest features are launching first for paid subscribers, the company says it plans to expand access over time. For now, AI Mode continues to evolve as a testing ground for Google's latest capabilities, powered by its Gemini models. As AI continues to reshape how we use search engines, tools like Deep Search and AI-powered calls hint at a future where Search can act more like a personal assistant than just a web index. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Phone Arena
3 hours ago
- Phone Arena
Certain Chinese made iPhones face a ban in the United States
A ruling by the International Trade Commission (ITC) could prevent some iPhone units built in China from getting shipped into the U.S. The ITC is a U.S. Federal agency that rules on unfair trade practices. One of its powers is the ability to issue exclusion orders that ban products found to infringe on intellectual property rights. In 2023, two companies that you're probably familiar with, Samsung Display and Chinese display manufacturer BOE, were having a serious disagreement over alleged technology theft. Both companies sued each other, and Samsung Display also filed a complaint with the ITC, which just announced a preliminary ruling. The ITC ruled in Samsung Display's favor, stating that the Samsung Electronics subsidiary "has proven by a preponderance of evidence" that BOE engaged in "misappropriation of trade secrets" to make its OLED panels. Yes, this is a preliminary ruling, and the final judgment will probably not be made until November. At that point, it will be up to U.S. President Donald Trump to decide whether the BOE products found to be infringing on Samsung Display's patents should be banned from the U.S. If the ban is approved, iPhone units with OLED displays made by BOE would not be allowed to enter the United States. As it turns out, U.S. consumers might not be affected at all. Apple recently approved BOE as a supplier of OLED displays for the iPhone 17 Pro. But that approval covers the Chinese market only. Still, BOE reportedly produces displays for U.S. versions of the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, and the iPhone 16e. But Apple might not be impacted after all. That's because the ITC hasn't specified whether the ban covers just OLED displays or includes smartphones sporting BOE's OLED panels. Even if Apple itself is not included in any exclusion order, Samsung could sue companies using the impacted BOE displays and Apple could be one of the companies involved in such legal action. One industry insider said that Apple could end up booting BOE from its supply chain. This would be a shame, as the company had to work hard to regain Apple's trust after it expanded the circuit width of the thin-film transistors on its OLED panels for the iPhone 13 series. BOE did not get approval from Apple to make this change, and it was done to improve the display supplier's yield, which was too low. Increasing the circuit width would make it easier for BOE to improve the yield on its iPhone OLED panels. BOE is estimated to account for 20% of overall orders Apple has placed for iPhone displays. Apple could end up using BOE's OLED panels earmarked for the iPhone on units sold in China. If it is banned from the U.S. market, BOE could focus on the Chinese market and reduce its prices to take business away from Apple's Korean based display suppliers such as Samsung Display and LG Display. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
