The iPhone 16 Pro will get a shinier titanium finish according to a new leak

When Apple announced the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max last year they were the first iPhones to use a new titanium construction rather than the stainless steel that was more familiar for buyers of Apple's Pro models. The switch was roundly well-received thanks to the weight savings that made the normally heavy iPhones much lighter. However, the change to titanium meant that the edges of the iPhone went from behind a highly polished stainless steel to a more matte, brushed titanium look. Now, a new report claims that Apple has been working on a way to make the titanium more shiny next time out.

That's according to a post on the Naver blog by the yeux1122 account that has been responsible for iPhone leaks in the past. The post was then spotted by MacRumors and reshared. According to that report, Apple is testing a new process that will allow the previously matte titanium finish to be made more shiny, or appear more polished, in a way that will be much shiner than the iPhone 15 Pro and closer to the stainless steel of the iPHone 14 Pro and earlier.

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Notably, the report also claims that Apple will also be able to ensure the new finish is less likely to scratch than the old, scratch-prone stainless steel finish.

When Apple switched to the titanium construction the weight reduction was a key part of the decision, but the material is also better at dissipating heat than the previous stainless steel option. That was likely key when Apple chose to use the A17 Pro chip that we now know can run particularly hot, especially when iPhone owners play console-quality games like the Resident Evil titles and the more recent Death Stranding.

As for the new iPhones, Apple is expected to announce the new iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max alongside the less expensive iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. All four models are set to be unveiled during the early weeks of September before going up for preorder shortly afterward. The new iPhones will then go on sale alongside the new Apple Watch Series X and refreshed Apple Watch Ultra wearables if Apple's previous release pattern is anything to go by.

The September month is likely to be a big one for Apple with the big AI improvements expected to power iOS 18 and the update expected to be released to the public ibn that month.