The Apple vs. Android debate has been running for years, with endless arguments over software, cameras, and apps. Yet behind those headline battles was a quieter revolution—one built on aluminium. For Apple, aluminium was never just another material. It became part of its identity, a design philosophy, and a way of uniting elegance with strength. In many ways, the story of the iPhone can’t be told without the story of aluminium.
Aluminium enters the iPhone landscape
When Steve Jobs stepped on stage in 2007 to reveal the first iPhone, the world’s attention was locked on the touchscreen—a feature that would forever change how we use our phones. Yet, almost quietly, another element was shaping the device’s identity.
The smooth aluminium back, cool against the hand and refined in its finish, spoke of strength and sophistication. At a time when most phones were still made of plastic, Apple’s choice stood out. The iPhone didn’t just feel like another gadget; it felt like something carefully crafted. Jobs often said that materials had to “feel good in the hand,” and with its brushed aluminium surface, the iPhone delivered exactly that.
The decision to choose aluminium wasn’t just related to luxury or the luxurious look, but, a rare mixture of lightness and strength, making it tough yet effortlessly slim. Looking back, that choice became the first brushstroke in Apple’s design language, one that would inspire an entire generation of smartphones to follow.
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