A new supply chain report rumor South Korea claims that Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro series models will use improved titanium metal and dyeing processes.

The source known as "yeux1122" on the Naver blog said that this new process will give the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max a smoother and brighter appearance than the matte-finished iPhone 15 Pro models. They further noted  that the improved manufacturing process will bring an appearance similar to the glossy stainless steel used in the previous Pro series iPhones, while at the same time, the titanium metal of the new process will be more scratch-resistant than stainless steel.

The benefit of this process is that it is less likely to leave fingerprints and can also reduce the visibility of scratches.

Beyond the Titanium finish, an Apple patent published on March 21, covered a new glass finish for the iPhone titled "Electronic Device including Composite Enclosure Component having localized Metal Nanoparticles." Apple's patent states: "Region #842 (back panel) may be formed from a glass-based material or may be formed from a composite material that includes nanoparticles in a matrix of the glass-based material, wherein the nanoparticles have a size and composition suitable to produce the desired dielectric and/or non-magnetic properties. 

Apple's patent FIG. 4D below schematically shows interaction of light with an enclosure component including nanoparticles; FIG. 5A schematically shows two different sets of nanoparticles within an enclosure component.

Apple's patent FIG 8 below is an iPhone with the back panel that uses nanoparticles. The composite material may have a matrix of a glass-based material and one or more nanophases distributed in the matrix. The one or more nanophases may provide one or more of a color or a mechanical property to the composite enclosure component.

Apple furtther noted that "In some examples, the nanoparticles may help increase the toughness of the material, such as by impeding or arresting crack propagation through the composite enclosure component." Elsewhere it states: "a toughened glass-based material may be positioned at regions of the enclosure component that would benefit from additional impact resistance." For more, review Apple's patent application 20240094777. Whether this new process will be implemented in iPhone 16 or future models is unknown at this time.