After the iPhone 17 Pro series adopted a unibody aluminum design and attracted consumers with its "Cosmic Orange" color, Apple seems to be getting bolder with its color choices for higher-end models. According to the latest leaks, the iPhone 18 Pro, which is still more than half a year away from its release, is currently testing a brand new "deep red" color.
Since 2022iPhone 14Since then, Apple has never released a red iPhone, let alone the "Pro" flagship series, which has always had relatively subdued color schemes. However, this regret that has disappointed many Apple fans may change this year.
iPhone 18 Pro: The flagship's comeback in deep red
According to Bloomberg's renowned reporter Mark Gurman...Latest "Power On" columnIt has been pointed out that Apple is testing "Deep Red" for the iPhone 18 Pro as the flagship color for the next generation.
This change, introduced with the unibody aluminum design of the iPhone 17 Pro, gives Apple greater flexibility in the coloring process of the Pro series than it did with stainless steel or titanium in the past.
Mark Gurman also specifically mentioned that Cosmic Orange is currently selling very well and is extremely popular in the Chinese market. Given the success of Cosmic Orange, Apple is highly likely to choose to retain it while also adding a new deep red design.
However, Mark Gurman also admitted that red and orange are too close on the color wheel, and it remains to be seen how Apple will ultimately choose.
Regarding recent online rumors that the iPhone 18 Pro will be available in "Coffee Brown" or "Purple," Mark Gurman clarified that these are likely just different shades of the same red concept that Apple is testing internally, rather than completely independent new colors.
iPhone Fold: A return to minimalist color schemes
In stark contrast to the vibrant color experiments of the iPhone 18 Pro, the highly anticipated first foldable phone from Apple, the iPhone Fold, appears to be "away from flashy colors."
According to Mark Gurman, the iPhone Fold is expected to offer only the most basic color options:
• Dark Gray or Black
• White or light silver
This conservative strategy is not hard to understand. As Apple's first foray into the foldable screen field, simplifying color options can significantly reduce the initial complex manufacturing process and inventory pressure.
When Apple launched the iPhone X, its tenth-anniversary model, in 2017, it actually adopted a simple color selection design—offering only black and white color options, while the iPhone 7, released in the same year, had as many as six color options.
Analysis of viewpoints
Apple's color strategy for its "Pro" series is undergoing an interesting shift.
In the past, the iPhone Pro series often represented professionalism and understated elegance, and therefore primarily featured cool tones or low-saturation colors such as Space Black, Silver, Pine Green, or Pacific Blue. Vibrant colors, on the other hand, were mainly found in entry-level iPhones.
However, with advancements in materials and processes, coupled with the market's strong preference for "highly recognizable" warm colors (such as the current Cosmic Orange) in recent years, Apple has finally realized that high-end users also want to be high-profile.
If the deep red iPhone 18 Pro does indeed debut, it signifies a complete liberation for Apple in defining the design of its flagship phones. As for the "black and white" dual-color iPhone Fold, it reflects Apple's typical experimental approach in its early days—focusing on improving hardware yield and the hinge mechanism first, leaving the fancy design for future generations.
