A week before the keynote, a Weibo account posted a color list that contradicted previous information: black was said to be returning, while silver was to be dropped. This would leave the Pro model without a single color from the previous year.
Colors are among the details Apple keeps secret until shortly before the unveiling, and consequently, rumors surrounding the iPhone 18 Pro have been slow to develop. The prevailing information until recently was that Dark Cherry would be the new signature color, along with a light blue and silver, while a darker shade remained controversial. A new post on Weibo has now reversed this picture. The account has repeatedly commented on the upcoming Pro model in recent months, including on the casing alloy and its susceptibility to wear; however, none of this information can be verified until Apple has revealed the device.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Three colors are mentioned: Dark Cherry, a light blue, and black.
- According to the article, silver will most likely be eliminated; he had seen no evidence for such a model.
- If that were true, the iPhone 18 Pro would not share a single color with its predecessor.
- Apple offers a light blue color in this country as sky blue – a shade that appears silvery depending on the light.
- At the end of June, sources from the same circle stated that there would be no black model.
The three mentioned shades
Dark Cherry has been considered a given for months and is likely to take over the role that Cosmic Orange held last year: the striking color Apple is using to promote the new generation. It was recently described as a cherry red with a distinct violet undertone, shifting between burgundy, warm brown, and dark violet depending on the light – and not as a vibrant red, as some renderings suggest.
The second color would be a light blue, which Apple already uses on the iPhone Air and MacBook Air and lists as sky blue in the German store. The third would simply be black.
Why silver might be missing
The removal of silver seems implausible at first glance, as it's one of the most enduring colors in the Pro series. A look at the sky blue offers a possible explanation: the tone is exceptionally subtle on the iPhone Air and MacBook Air, appearing almost silver in normal ambient light. So, someone who opted for the silver device in a store would get something very similar with sky blue.
For Apple, this would have a practical advantage: one less variant to manufacture without losing customers who prefer neutral tones. This interpretation isn't proven, but it explains why two colors have been replacing each other in reports for months.
A contradiction to one's own course
It's striking how significantly the new list differs from the previous one. At the end of June, a leaker answered the question about a black model with a clear "no"; Dark Gray was to take on the role of the darkest device. By July 1st, a source had reduced the number of colors to just three, combining Silver and Dark Gray into a single variant.
| Time | The colors mentioned |
|---|---|
| End of June 2026 | Dark Cherry, light blue, silver, dark gray – black expressly excluded |
| July 1, 2026 | three tones, silver and dark grey combined |
| September 1, 2026 | Dark Cherry, light blue, black – painted silver |
Neither set of information can be resolved, and both originate from the same leaker network. It's possible that Apple has since changed the color palette – this is known to happen quite late with colors. It's also possible that one of the reports was simply false.
Why color choice matters when pre-ordering
For the purchase decision, the color question is practically more relevant than it sounds: During pre-orders, some variants regularly jumped to delivery times of several weeks within minutes, while others remained immediately available. Anyone who has decided on a particular shade should therefore act quickly when sales begin.
Our expectation: We consider Dark Cherry and light blue to be very likely, as both have appeared in practically every news report for months. Regarding black versus silver, however, we see no reliable basis for a prediction – here, two conflicting reports from the same scene exist side by side, and the keynote will provide the answer. Besides the colors, the aperture, chip, battery, and the expected price increase are the key factors by which the model will be judged; until the official unveiling, reports about the entire iPhone 18 series will continue to accumulate.
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Which color would you choose if you bought it at launch – the striking Dark Cherry or black?