Apple may use its custom Series 7000 aluminum for the casing of its next-generation iPhone, making it 60 percent tougher than the current iPhone 6.
While the next-generation iPhone is not expected to debut until September, the rumor mill is churning in anticipation and various tidbits of information come to the surface. Amid various reports that the iPhone 6s, or iPhone 7, will borrow the new Force Touch technology from the Apple Watch, new details now bolster claims that it will also burrow the tougher Series 7000 aluminum for the smartphone's casing.
The iPhone 6 Plus stirred the whole #BendGate fiasco over reports that it bent under normal pressure (see image above), but the next-generation iPhone's casing would be 60 percent harder with Apple's custom Series 7000 aluminum alloy.
Well-respected publication Macotakara summarized a research note from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has provided accurate insight into Apple's plans on several occasions.
Apple first introduced its Series 7000 aluminum with its first smartwatch, the Apple Watch. At the time, the company touted that its newly-developed alloy is as much as 60 percent stronger and more durable compared with most aluminum alloys, at just one-third of the stainless steel's density.
Kuo believes that Apple will use the same aluminum alloy for its next iPhone, in addition to the Force Touch technology that could make the device slightly taller and thicker.
The analyst further notes that Apple could also slightly alter the color options for its next-generation iPhone. The current gold avatar could be closer to yellow gold, while the current space gray model could become darker. At the same time, Kuo also reiterates expectations for the 2015 iPhone to launch in a rose gold model as well.
The next-generation iPhone is further rumored to come with notable improvements in the processor department, as well as RAM, cameras, software and more. Apple typically follows a yearly launch schedule for its devices, and new iPhone iterations traditionally debut in the fall. The next-generation iPhone, presumably called the iPhone 6s or iPhone 7, should make its debut sometime in September.
More leaks and reports will surely surface until Apple officially unveils its next iPhone, but it's best take everything with a grain of salt until formal confirmation.
