While we’re all eagerly awaiting the launch of the foldable iPhone (also known as the iPhone 18 Fold), expected to land here only in September 2026, a new industry report reveals a critical detail that could ensure its durability: Its frame will be made of a titanium-aluminum alloy. This report only strengthens Apple’s trend of expanding the use of titanium—a material that has already proven itself in the iPhone Air model—and is likely intended to address the main bending challenge in thin devices. The new hybrid frame is particularly necessary in light of rumors suggesting that the foldable iPhone will be extremely thin—only 4.5 mm when open, even thinner than the iPhone Air—requiring an especially strong structure.
This report joins other voices, including analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has also previously hinted at the use of a combined metal chassis, although Kuo claimed that Apple would choose a combination of titanium and stainless steel (instead of aluminum) and even raised the possibility of using Liquidmetal (a unique and extremely strong metal alloy) to reinforce the hinges. The gap between the reports could stem from the possibility that Apple plans to use a hybrid titanium-aluminum compound, or to divide the work—titanium in critical load-bearing areas and aluminum in the rest of the parts to save weight, since titanium is heavier.
The idea of combining different metals in the frame of such a futuristic device indicates that Apple is investing significant resources in solving the issue of durability, especially in the delicate hinge mechanism. The increased use of titanium is also expected to extend to the iPhone 18 Air model of the same year, indicating an overall strategic shift in Apple’s choice of materials.