“Looking back at the iPhone in recent years, Apple has always focused on promoting the high-end frame materials of the Pro series as one of its selling points, from ‘surgical grade stainless steel’ to ‘titanium.’ How can it be said that it was replaced with aluminum?” says Setsuna Digital, a leaker on Weibo.

Setsuna Digital provided no information or source, so the statement should be taken for what it is: speculation. It’s possible the leaker has an inside source providing them with information, but their history with Apple rumors is a mixed bag. While Setsuna Digital did predict certain things correctly, they have also been far off the mark on several occasions.

Apple does have precedent to back up the idea of a different chassis material. The company is known for removing set-in-stone elements of its phones (the headphone jack comes to mind) as well as features like 3D Touch. 3D Touch lasted multiple generations, from the iPhone 6s to the iPhone 11. That’s a similar timeframe to how long aluminum has been out of the game, so maybe it is time for the metal to make a comeback.

We expect a fall 2025 launch for the iPhone 17, accompanied by a wave of new features and upgrades. Of course, Apple Intelligence is the most prominent of these, and a switch back to aluminum from titanium could be a way of cutting costs on new iPhone models.