After a decade of reviewing phones, I really miss metal backs

I’ve been reviewing Android phones for well over a decade now, and I’ve seen some huge leaps in performance, battery life, charging speeds, cameras, and more. There are a few things I miss about the classics, though, including microSD card slots and removable batteries. However, there’s something else I miss about older phones.

I’m really pining for handsets with metal backs, and I seriously wish we saw more devices taking this approach. Instead, today’s phones usually use glass or plastic. Here’s why a metal frame alone isn’t enough for me in 2026.

Easily the biggest reason why I love phones with metal backs is that they’re generally more durable than phones with glass backs. These metal-clad phones can survive a few drops just fine, while glass backs are quick to crack or spiderweb.

The worst-case scenario with a metal-backed phone is that the rear cover will be dented after a particularly hard fall. But this isn’t going to be a safety hazard by any measure. By contrast, a smashed glass back can slice up your hand or leave splinters if you’re using the phone without a case. Not great at all. So a phone with a metal back is particularly great for people who want to use their device without a protective cover.

I also appreciate the premium look and cold feel of phones with metal backs. Furthermore, some of these devices have a reassuring heft. You only need to hold classic phones like the HTC One M8, HUAWEI Nexus 6P, and HUAWEI P9 to appreciate this design choice.

Perhaps the biggest reason why we no longer see flagship phones with metal backs is that the material doesn’t play nicely with wireless charging. Google devised an interesting solution for 2020’s Pixel 5, though. It covered the phone’s metal back in a thick plastic layer while also making cutouts in the rear cover to facilitate wireless charging. We’ve also seen some metal-backed phones with optional cases to enable wireless charging, such as the Nokia Lumia 925. But the Pixel 5 and Lumia 925 are clearly the exceptions rather than the norm.

The wireless charging excuse doesn’t hold water with mid-range phones, either. These cheaper devices frequently lack wireless top-ups in the first place. So why don’t these phones have metal backs? Well, I’m guessing that this is a cost issue more than anything else. Mid-range Android phones often have plastic backs because they’re cheaper than glass or metal. I’m also guessing that a metal back is more expensive than a glass rear cover.

Metal backs can also disrupt cellular signals compared to glass or plastic covers. So this is another potential reason why phone makers have shied away from them. Then again, phones with metal rear covers frequently include plastic antenna strips on the body or frame to improve reception. Some devices, like the Nexus 6P and OnePlus Nord 4, also include plastic or glass “windows” on the rear metal cover to improve cellular reception. So this isn’t really a major technological hurdle anymore.

Metal-backed phones also tend to feel hotter under load, but this is a double-edged sword. The metal back is effectively a heat sink, drawing heat away from the processor, battery, and other internal components. So while this makes for a rear cover that’s very warm or hot to the touch, it should result in lower internal temperatures and therefore more stable long-term performance.

It’s not all doom and gloom when it comes to phones with metal backs, though. The mid-range OnePlus Nord 4 (seen above) made a big splash in 2024 thanks to its metal unibody design, and we praised this approach at the time.

Apple has also taken a rather interesting approach with the iPhone 17 Pro series. These phones have a metal unibody design with a massive, card-sized plastic cutout for wireless charging. The China-only HUAWEI Mate 80 Pro Max has taken a similar route in recent months, but it includes a much smaller ring-shaped cutout on its metal back.

Either way, it’s clear that a few manufacturers are still trying to offer metal backs on their phones. So here’s hoping that Samsung, Google, Xiaomi, and others jump on this bandwagon once again. In fact, I’d love it if more brands used anything other than glass backs in 2026.