The iPhone 14 may be over a year away from launching, but Apple can't escape the churning of the rumor mill. Today, we have some potential new details regarding the 2022 flagship models.
According to an investors note by JP Morgan Chase, the iPhone 14 Pro models may incorporate a titanium alloy chassis. Apple has previously employed the material on the Apple Watch Series 6. If true, this would be a considerable boost to durability although it may mean some added weight (via MacRumors).
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The current iPhone 12 models all use a blend of aluminum and stainless steel. The aluminum is the weak link in the durability chain, but helps offset the weight of the stainless steel. The titanium alloy should in theory match the durability of the stainless steel. But as it is 60% heavier than the aluminum that comprises much of the current chassis, it is going to mean an increase to the overall weight of the phone.
If Apple is looking to reduce the thickness of the iPhone 14 Pro, this would be a logical move as the titanium is highly resistant to bending. The iPhone 6 was the phone that sparked "bendgate" and Apple has had to contend with similar issues with the iPad Pro at times. If this rumor proves true, hopefully Apple can find a way to bring the titanium build to the standard iPhone models in the future.
The note goes on to corroborate some of the existing rumors regarding the iPhone 14. This includes the return of Touch ID either in a side button like on the iPad Air or with an in-display fingerprint sensor. It also supported the idea that the iPhone 14 standard and Pro models will both be available in 6.1 and 6.7-inch screen sizes with the iPhone mini design going away.
The uniform sizes between the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro also means that Apple will need to find more differentiating features like this to get users to upgrade from the standard models as screen size alone would no longer be a factor. Finally, while it didn't offer any new specifications, it asserted that this should be a more significant technological leap forward than the iPhone 12 to iPhone 13.
