Apple foldable iPhone to feature mixed titanium-aluminum frame

Apple’s first foldable iPhone is expected to use a mixed-metal frame combining titanium and aluminum, according to a recent analyst investor note, as the company prepares a device slated to join the iPhone 18 lineup in September 2026. Reports describe the foldable design as featuring a roughly 5.5 inch external display that unfolds to about a 7.8 inch internal screen and say the device may be unusually thin, around 4.5 millimeters when opened.

Analyst Jeff Pu said the frame will use both titanium and aluminum, though he did not specify whether the metals will be combined into an alloy or applied to different parts of the chassis. Another prominent supply-chain analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, has previously described a multi-material approach as well, but with different specifics: Kuo has suggested the hinge would combine stainless steel and titanium, and that some hinge components might use a durable die-cast alloy often referred to as Liquidmetal. Those differing descriptions reflect ongoing uncertainty inside Apple’s supply chain about which sections of the device will prioritize strength, lightness, or manufacturability.

Materials choices are central to engineering the device because...