Multiple sources show that Apple is preparing a new special color for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max to be released this year - "Dark Cherry" that is close to red wine tone and is expected to become the main new color of the Pro series in 2026. The color is described as a darker burgundy with a hint of purple, rather than a bright red, and the overall style is more restrained.
According to reports, the iPhone 18 Pro color schemes being tested internally by Apple include light blue, dark cherry, dark gray and silver. The light blue is considered to be similar to the "Mist Blue" of the current iPhone 17, and the silver is also similar to the style of existing models. Supply chain sources said that these four colors are still in the development stage, and the iPhone 18 Pro has not yet entered mass production, so Apple may still adjust the color combination before the official release, and the final number of colors on the market may not necessarily be four.
It is worth mentioning that many media and whistleblowers have previously pointed out that Apple is testing a "dark red" or "dark cherry" body to replace more high-profile colors such as "Cosmic Orange" on the iPhone 17 Pro. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has revealed that Apple has internally prototyped a "dark red" color scheme, which is generally believed to be in the same category as the scheme now known as Dark Cherry. Related rumors also mentioned that the purple, brown and other versions mentioned earlier are more likely to be variations of this red scheme at different stages.
In terms of color matching strategy, another important change in the iPhone 18 Pro series is that it continues not to provide a classic black version. Sources such as Weibo's whistleblower "Moment Digital" claim that Apple's 2026 Pro models will still not be available in black, which means that the Pro series will abandon the classic choice of traditional "black" for the second consecutive year. Some analysts believe that this adjustment reflects Apple’s design orientation of more prominent metallic textures and neutral tones on high-end models in recent years, while using annual “special colors” to create differentiated selling points.
Based on current rumors and supply chain information, the market generally expects that light blue, dark cherry, dark gray and silver will constitute the main colors of the iPhone 18 Pro series. The dark cherry color not only inherits the "red Pro" that users have long expected, but also maintains relative restraint in the overall look and feel, closer to the high-end flagship positioning. However, since the model has not yet entered the mass production stage, there are still variables in the specific color scheme when it is finally launched. Apple may also choose a certain color based on production yield and market feedback.