How Much Titanium Is Really In Apple's New iPhone 15 Pro Models?

According to a popular YouTuber, Apple’s new iPhone 15 Pro, priced at $999, and its $1,199 sibling, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, contain between $9 and $40 worth of Grade 5 Titanium.

What Happened: JerryRigEverything, a YouTuber known for his smartphone durability tests and teardowns, subjected the new iPhone 15 Pro Max to an experiment; one where the phone was thrown into a furnace to isolate the titanium, melting away the aluminum, which has a lower melting point.

The YouTuber, whose real name is Zack Nelson, said the precise titanium weight derived from the iPhone 15 Pro Max is about 18 grams.

For context, Nelson said the consumer price for Grade 5 Titanium is around $2.50 per gram, based on a 42-gram sheet valued at $106. However, the YouTuber noted that Apple Inc AAPL likely secures titanium at industrial prices, which can dip to as low as 50 cents per gram.

Given the broad price range, the titanium’s material value in each iPhone model is estimated to be between $9 and $40, though it’s likely closer to the lower figure considering Apple’s purchasing power.

Apple didn’t immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comment.

Read also: Titanium Gate Averted? Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Fix Has Not Impacted Performance

Launched in mid-September, the iPhone 15 series starts at $799, with only the Pro and Pro Max iterations having the titanium feature.

Apple championed the adoption of the new “aerospace-grade” material, touting its durability and lightweight characteristics.

Interestingly, while Apple’s promotional material alludes to the use of the same titanium alloy in Mars-bound spacecraft, a separate JerryRigEverything teardown showed that Apple uses about 1mm of titanium to cover an aluminum base — with titanium on the exterior and aluminum on the interior.

Read next: Chip Leak Suggests Galaxy S24’s Fate Is Sealed — Outshined By iPhone 15 Pro Before Launch

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