A Chinese whistleblower said that Apple’s upcoming iPhone 18 Pro is likely to add a new dark red body color. This judgment is based on the fact that many Android mobile phone manufacturers have already tested similar dark red versions on their next-generation model prototypes.
In February of this year, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman reported that Apple was testing a dark red appearance for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. The purple and brown versions previously circulated on the market are likely just different experimental variants around this red scheme, rather than a completely independent color matching direction.
Recently, the breaking news account "Digital Chat Station" active on Weibo has also "supported" this statement. The account posted over the weekend that they had seen similar dark red versions on a number of Android next-generation flagship prototypes, and therefore believed that the possibility of Apple testing a dark red color scheme was extremely high. It is unclear whether Android manufacturers proactively followed up after mastering Apple's color matching information, or whether both parties came to the same color choice based on similar trend predictions.
Industry insiders pointed out that Apple and Android mobile phone manufacturers usually refer to annual and mid-term fashion trend reports given by global color forecasting agencies. If deep red is recognized as a new stage of "popular color" in fashion, design and other fields, it is not surprising that many manufacturers will adopt similar colors on flagship products. However, it is not uncommon for the Android camp to "quickly follow" Apple in appearance and color matching. The practice of imitating Apple's design route is nothing new in the mobile phone industry.
Another whistleblower, "Sena Digital", also from Weibo, previously stated that this year's iPhone 18 Pro series may not provide a black version. If this rumor comes true, this will be the second consecutive year that Apple has eliminated the classic black option on the Pro model, which is seen as an obvious adjustment to the color strategy of flagship products.
According to existing reports, the iPhone 18 Pro series is still expected to be released to the outside world in September this year. By then, Apple is also generally believed to release its first foldable iPhone simultaneously, adding a new form of product line to the high-end product line.