Ever since iPhones transitioned to titanium, there has been a significant increase in the quality and durability of these phones. I have been using most of my iPhones without a case. The last two iterations, the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the iPhone 16 Pro Max, are less prone to scratches and dents compared to previous models.

The stainless steel iPhones, starting with the iPhone X in February 2017 up to the iPhone 14 Pro Max, looked premium. However, if you used these phones without a case, you would know that the sides scratched easily. Apple going with flat edges since the iPhone 12 Pro series actually made this worse and the scratches were more noticeable. In contrast, the titanium on the iPhone 15 and 16 Pro Max does not show a single scratch, at least mine doesn’t.

There are rumours about the next Pro iPhone models reverting to aluminium. The concern with this change is whether the durability of the phones will be compromised. When aluminium scratches, it should not be as noticeable as when stainless steel scratches, but aluminium can dent more quickly than stainless steel. I hope Apple sticks to titanium as it’s proven (at least in my experience) to withstand scratches and dents more than the other materials did.

I should note that I have not dropped my phone, so I cannot speak to how these devices would perform in a drop test. However, in terms of scratches and dents, the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the iPhone 16 Pro Max have been the most scratch-free and dent-free iPhones I have ever used.