Apple generally knows what it’s doing when it comes to industrial design, but the company’s latest reported decision is causing more than a little confusion among Apple fans and pundits.

According to the GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu, the iPhone 17 Air will have a titanium frame, whereas the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max will all be made of aluminum. This is a counterintuitive choice, to say the least, because titanium is heavier than aluminum, and the iPhone 17 Air is expected to be marketed as an ultra-lightweight smartphone. And last November, multiple sources insisted that the entire iPhone 17 range would be made of aluminum.

As well as being heavier than aluminum, titanium is considerably stronger, and it’s possible the slender iPhone 17 Air needs this sturdier frame so as to avoid another Bendgate scandal. The problem with that rationale is that Apple seems to have already solved the Bendgate issue without resorting to titanium. In 2014, the 6.9mm aluminium iPhone 6 bent (occasionally), but the 5.1mm aluminum iPad Pro, released in 2024, did not bend (outside of click-chasing YouTube stunts). Apple said it strengthened the design using a metal “cowling” on the logic board down the center of the device, and it stands to reason that it would work on the iPhone 17 Air, too.

Pu made the prediction this week in an investor note seen by MacRumors. He is a prolific pundit–we reported on his latest Apple Product Timeline last month–but one with a mixed record: at the time of writing, AppleTrack rates him at 50 percent accuracy, so his predictions should be taken with a pinch of salt.

There remain roughly two months until Apple unveils its new smartphones for late 2025. Keep up with the latest news and rumors with our regularly updated iPhone 17 superguide. If you don’t want to wait that long, pick up a bargain on the current range with our roundup of the best iPhone deals.