Ever since the iPhone 5, Apple has used aluminum for its chassis. It is widely expected that Apple could continue that tradition, but a new report has suggested otherwise. Apple could be changing things up with the iPhone 8 and could be turning to the use of stainless steel instead, according to a report from DigiTimes (via AppleInsider).
According to the report, Apple has apparently decided to go with a different supplier this time and instead of ordering the components from Foxconn, they have turned to Jabil who will reportedly supply the Cupertino company with forged stainless steel. The use of stainless steel in the iPhone isn’t new as Apple had previously used stainless steel bands for the iPhone 4s.
However instead of the common billet milling method, the stainless steel for the iPhone 8 could be made through a metal forging method, which is said to offer superlative structural rigidity. It is possible that Apple could be returning to a familiar design because last we heard, glass is expected to play a big role in the iPhone 8’s design as well, so maybe we could be looking at a variant of the iPhone 4/4s in terms of design.
In any case as is with all rumors, take it with a grain of salt for now. However the iPhone 8 is expected to bring a lot of changes in terms of design and features, and analysts are already pretty optimistic about its potential sales.
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