If you were hoping Apple would walk back its switch to aluminum on the Pro iPhones, you might want to pump the brakes. A new leak out of Weibo is throwing cold water on the idea, and the reasoning actually makes a lot of sense.
The leaker known as “Fixed Focus Digital” is pushing back hard on an earlier rumor from “Instant Digital,” which suggested Apple was exploring liquid metal or a fancy new titanium alloy to eventually replace aluminum on Pro models. According to Fixed Focus Digital, that’s not happening anytime soon. The reason? Heat. Specifically, the heat generated by running local AI on a phone.
Why Aluminum Is Sticking Around
Local AI processing puts a significant thermal load on a phone, and aluminum handles heat better than titanium. The leaker actually notes this isn’t even an Apple-only problem. Android flagships and Huawei’s HarmonyOS devices have leaned on aluminum for the same reason. We’ve already seen how much heat on-device AI features can generate on Android phones, and it’s only getting worse as models grow.
Apple didn’t ditch titanium for fun. The company moved away from it after overheating complaints piled up on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models. The iPhone Air still uses titanium, but the Pro lineup is locked into aluminum for the foreseeable future. Fixed Focus Digital says the iPhone 18 Pro will keep that same aluminum unibody design from the iPhone 17 Pro, which means any material switch isn’t realistic before 2027 at the earliest.
This is a bit of a reality check for anyone expecting Apple to course-correct quickly. Instant Digital framed aluminum as a temporary compromise while Apple figured out a long-term play, possibly involving liquid metal for the foldable iPhone hinge. Fixed Focus Digital is basically saying nope, aluminum is the plan, and AI demands are why.
It’s worth remembering these are both leakers, not Apple. But the thermal argument is hard to ignore, especially with smart glasses and AI wearables all pushing in the same direction. Heat is the new battery life.
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