Expect the next iPhone to be made mostly with glass.
Apple (AAPL) is reportedly ditching the iPhone’s aluminum back cover in favor of two reinforced glass panes on its face and back, according to a Tuesday report from Tapei-based DigiTimes. Foxconn Electronics and U.S.-based Jabil will be manufacturing the parts, including the stainless steel metal frame, according to DigiTimes.
While DigiTimes has previously been called out for unreliable reporting about Apple, it’s not the first time rumors of an iPhone with a glass front and back have floated around.
KGI Securities’ Ming-Chi Kuo, a top Apple analyst with a better track record, released a September report predicting that the 2017 iPhone will be made with glass on the front and back, according to 9to5Mac. Kuo also previously forecasted that Apple could introduce a 5.8-inch model of the 2017 iPhone.
The current iPhones range from 4.7 inches to 5.5 inches in size.