Spring is in the air, and it’s also prime time for iPhone rumors. If the latest reports are true, then we should expect the iPhone 15 lineup to have the Dynamic Island across the board and even USB-C charging thanks to EU regulations. But the iPhone 15 Pro is where things are going to be even more interesting.
Here, we have things like the possibility of no more mute switch and moving to a haptic multi-use button, a periscope lens on the iPhone 15 Pro Max (with massive camera bumps on both Pro models), and more.
Each year, Apple also likes to release one new color for the Pro lineup as well — only to never use it again, despite some being total bangers (Pacific Blue iPhone 12 Pro and Alpine Green iPhone 13 Pro, I’m looking at you). For the iPhone 14 Pro, we have Deep Purple, which, to me, is more of a gray purple that you really need to have in the proper light to actually see the purple hue. Sometimes it’s easy to see the purple color, but other times, it’s much harder.
According to leaks for the iPhone 15 Pro, it seems that we may be getting a dark, deep red color this year. I’m kind of torn on whether I like the color itself or not, but I do know one thing: I don’t quite trust Apple to make a good-looking iPhone 15 Pro color anymore.
Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me
Ever since the start of the “Pro” phones with the iPhone 11 Pro, Apple has been adding a splash of color to its “professional” phones. I also have been upgrading every year, and I typically end up going with that fun color for the Pro iPhones just because that’s the new thing (how else are people supposed to know I have the latest and greatest?). So far, I have had the Midnight Green iPhone 11 Pro, Pacific Blue iPhone 12 Pro, Sierra Blue iPhone 13 Pro, and Deep Purple iPhone 14 Pro.
Pacific Blue was one of the best colors that Apple released for the iPhone Pro. Even though I’m not a huge blue person (I liked it more as a kid), it was this vibrant, rich blue that definitely stood out at the time. You could also tell that it was blue, no matter what the lighting of the environment was. Even though I chose the Sierra Blue iPhone 13 Pro when I upgraded, I ended up regretting it — the color was hard to capture in photographs, and I just wasn’t a big fan of how light and “icy” the blue was. It wasn’t for me.
Before Apple revealed the Deep Purple iPhone 14 Pro, rumors were circulating around that there would be a purple color for it, and there were multiple renderings of what it would look like. I liked the shades of purple I saw in concept renderings, and I was going to get purple regardless. But when I got my Deep Purple iPhone 14 Pro in my hand, I was a bit let down — it only really looks purple in certain light and angles.
Sure, in the right lighting conditions, it definitely looks purple, but you’re not going to be in the perfect lighting every second of the day. And when you’re not, the Deep Purple really looks like a dark gray (like Space Black) with a hint of purple tint — not really what I signed up for. I personally was hoping that Deep Purple was more of a vibrant, royal purple. Still, the Deep Purple iPhone 14 Pro is still better than that god-awful purple iPhone 14, at least.
For the iPhone 15 Pro, it seems likely that we’re getting a dark red color this time, like a rich wine or burgundy. The exact code is 410D0D if you want to get a preview of what it looks like. While it’s not quite a color that I’m in love with yet, based on Apple’s history with colors, I have my doubts that it’ll get it right.
Apple has an iPhone color problem
When Apple had the Rose Gold color for the iPhone 6s, that was one of my absolute favorite iPhone colors of all time. I love rose gold, and the way Apple did it made it look like a beautiful metallic pink, which I loved. Rose Gold continued on to the first generation iPhone SE, as well as the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus — but then it vanished, never to be seen again, much to my dismay.
Though Apple has made a few iPhone models pink since the original Rose Gold, they never quite look pink enough for me. The other problem is that pink is only for the regular iPhone, never the Pro models. I’m not sure why, but it just feels like Apple only gives the standard iPhone models the “fun” colors because “pros” must only want “professional” colors … which couldn’t be further from the truth.
Though Apple has had some hits with the iPhone Pro colors over the years (Pacific Blue, for sure), most of the exclusive Pro colors have been a mixed bag. I was a fan of Alpine Green, but I know it wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. I have a love-hate relationship with the Deep Purple color, too; I like having a purple phone, but it definitely leans more gray than purple in most situations.
When you look at the competition, Apple is definitely lacking in the color department. When I saw Samsung’s mid-range Galaxy A54 5G drop, I fell in love with that Awesome Violet color — it’s exactly what the purple iPhone 14 should have been. I also really like the Galaxy S22 Ultra Burgundy color, which is what I hope Apple does with the iPhone 15 Pro. Oh, and the Pink Gold Galaxy S22 really brings back some rose gold iPhone vibes for me.
But let’s not forget one of the most stunning colors for phones — the Huawei P30 Pro. It came in a gorgeous orange/red variant called “amber sunrise,” as well as a blue-to-silver with pink/green oyster-like gradient color called “breathing crystal.” Every time I see photos of the phone, I desperately wish I had one so I can admire the colors in person. And then I look back at my iPhone and just let out a sigh because Apple will probably never release such beautiful colors for the iPhone Pro models.
Apple needs to party like it’s 1999
Remember the original iMac G3 from 1999, the computer that came in bright and vibrant colors? That was peak Apple when it came to color. I never had one of those computers, but I remember using one in school, and it was one of the coolest things I used — I wish I could’ve gotten one at home.
Apple kind of brought that side back with the M1 iMac but still fails to bring those “fun” colors to the iPhone, at least with the Pro version. Right now, most of the iPhone colors, especially with the Pro line, are boring, drab, or just poor representations of the color they chose. Maybe one day in the future, Apple can get the iPhone colors right. But until then, I wouldn’t hold my breath.
