TL;DR
- Leaked iPhone 18 Pro dummy units show Apple experimenting with bold new finishes, including a standout Dark Cherry colorway.
- Apple’s previous Cosmic Orange trend pushed several Android brands toward similar designs, and Cherry Red could be next.
Apple may have accidentally reignited the next smartphone color war. After the surprisingly loud success of the iPhone 17 Pro’s cosmic orange, a fresh leak now suggests Apple is doubling down on bolder Pro colors for next year’s lineup. And if history repeats itself, Android brands probably won’t sit this one out for long.
Well-known tipster Sonny Dickson posted images on X that allegedly show dummy units of the iPhone 18 Pro lineup. The devices appear in four shades: Black, Silver, Light Blue, and a deep Dark Cherry finish that immediately stands out from the rest.
According to Dickson, Cherry could become the breakout color this cycle, especially after the orange variant performed well. Honestly, it’s not hard to see why — the leaked shade looks absolutely rich and premium.
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And this wouldn’t be the first time Apple quietly pushed the rest of the industry in a new direction. Last year’s orange iPhone finish quickly became unavoidable. Within months, several Android brands started releasing phones with similar bright orange backs. So, what started as an iPhone color suddenly became everyone’s color. Now it looks like cherry reds may be next.
Last month, tipster Digital Chat Station claimed Apple was testing a deep red finish for the iPhone 18 Pro series and even shared a reference image showing a darker tone. Interestingly, that exact color doesn’t appear in Dickson’s latest leak, suggesting Apple may still be experimenting behind the scenes.
That part matters because Apple is notorious for testing multiple finishes before settling on its final palette. Plenty of prototype colors never make it to store shelves.
And frankly, the smartphone industry could use it. Too many flagship phones today blur together into endless shades of titanium gray, silver, and muted black. A properly executed cherry finish could actually make premium phones feel distinctive again.
If these leaks turn out to be accurate, don’t be surprised when Android brands suddenly discover dark cherry finishes sometime next year. Smartphone trends move fast, but when Apple stumbles onto a hit color, the rest of the market usually notices.
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