Now that the iPhone 15 is here and we are starting to hear big rumors about the iPhone 16, what's next? Despite the fact that it has been two years since its release, rumors are still flying about a possible iPhone 17 Pro upgrade.

According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple may include resin-coated copper (RCC) components inside the iPhone 17 Pro. According to Kuo, RCC components would help reduce the thickness on the phone's mainboard, which would free up some internal space for other things - or potentially allow Apple to make the iPhone 17 Pro even thinner.

Kuo also claims that RCC is easier to drill holes in because it contains no fiberglass. Unfortunately, this material is quite fragile, especially in drop tests, which is why it was skipped in the iPhone 16.

Kuo did not mention what might change to make the RCC more suitable for the 2025 iPhone. Given that fragility is already an issue with smartphones, making them even more susceptible to accidental damage is the most important thing to avoid.

Kuo said that if Apple can improve the material by Q3 2024, there is a good chance it will be in the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max. Unfortunately, he did not give specifics on how this could be accomplished, only stating that they may work with Ajinmoto, currently a major supplier of RCC material.

Saving space inside the iPhone 17 Pro could open up a whole new world of possibilities. There is always the possibility that Apple could use the thinner RCC to make the phone even thinner. It would be very on-brand for Apple, to say the least.

Then again, more space inside means more space for other things. Space inside smartphones is at a premium, and thinner components mean that Apple will tetris new hardware to fill the void. Whether it be a better cooling system, a haptic engine for more solid state buttons, or a larger battery capacity. It could also include a larger or even a second tetraprism lens for even better zooming power. With a little more room to play with, there is no limit to what Apple could add.

It will be some time before these rumors come to fruition. Until then, be sure to check out our iPhone 16 hub for what Apple's latest smartphone has to offer, our iPhone 15 Pro review and iPhone 15 Pro Max review, and all the latest news and rumors about next year's devices.