Hi, I’m someone who has not used a case on their iPhone since the iPhone X launched in November 2017. The reason I switched to not using a case back then was specifically because the iPhone X was the first iPhone with significantly enhanced friction to a human hand (i.e. grip). The statistical likelihood for dropping the smartphone decrease an order of magnitude over the previous aluminum back, and aluminum band.
The introduction of glossy stainless steel sides and glossy back glass increased grip massively. Both of those materials have a significantly superior friction co-efficient than the aluminum. When the iPhone switched to the matte glass in the iPhone 11 Pro and on, the grip decreased, but not quite as much as the previous aluminum back.
Now we have arrived at the next material change—the titanium band—and after having opened my iPhone 15 Pro and held it, I can state, happily, that while it has certainly decreased in grip compared to the glossy stainless steel, it is still significantly more grippy than the aluminum bands. I was going into this upgrade with the obvious fear that I would no longer be able to use my iPhone without a case due to massive reductions in grip, but the titanium still offers satisfactorily high grip (although again mind-you, not as high as the glossy stainless).
I’m writing this after having seen every single reviewer and early possessor of the iPhone 15 Pros fail to utter a single word in regard to the titanium’s friction to the human hand. It is unreal how bad tech reviewers are. Every single tech reviewer failed to describe the grip and it’s just hilarious because I decided as a joke I’d ask ChatGPT what a reviewer should go over if a future iPhone switched from a stainless steel chassis to a titanium chassis and even it—amongst other aspects—stated that going over the grip comparisons would be a good review point. All reviewers should be embarrassed that ChatGPT knew to go over this, and they failed to even mention it in passing.
The introduction of glossy stainless steel sides and glossy back glass increased grip massively. Both of those materials have a significantly superior friction co-efficient than the aluminum. When the iPhone switched to the matte glass in the iPhone 11 Pro and on, the grip decreased, but not quite as much as the previous aluminum back.
Now we have arrived at the next material change—the titanium band—and after having opened my iPhone 15 Pro and held it, I can state, happily, that while it has certainly decreased in grip compared to the glossy stainless steel, it is still significantly more grippy than the aluminum bands. I was going into this upgrade with the obvious fear that I would no longer be able to use my iPhone without a case due to massive reductions in grip, but the titanium still offers satisfactorily high grip (although again mind-you, not as high as the glossy stainless).
I’m writing this after having seen every single reviewer and early possessor of the iPhone 15 Pros fail to utter a single word in regard to the titanium’s friction to the human hand. It is unreal how bad tech reviewers are. Every single tech reviewer failed to describe the grip and it’s just hilarious because I decided as a joke I’d ask ChatGPT what a reviewer should go over if a future iPhone switched from a stainless steel chassis to a titanium chassis and even it—amongst other aspects—stated that going over the grip comparisons would be a good review point. All reviewers should be embarrassed that ChatGPT knew to go over this, and they failed to even mention it in passing.
