A fresh image of iPhone 16 dummy models has leaked, revealing a brand-new gold colorway. This color will apparently be known as ‘Desert Titanium’ and it seems likely that it’ll replace the ‘Blue Titanium’ option, which appears to be getting the chop.
The new iPhone 16 Pro Max colors differ from the iPhone 16 base model colorways in the leaked images via tipster Sonny Dickson. Where the base models appear to be receiving a much brighter color palette, including pink and teal options, it looks like the Pro Max is sticking to the muted titanium colors. This echoes what we’ve seen in previous generations, such as with the 2023 iPhone 15 series. We’ve seen Apple turn to different colorways to distinguish the Pro Max, the best gaming iPhone, from its more affordable alternatives before. So, it’s no surprise to see a continuation of the tradition.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max will still reportedly launch with the standard black, white, and grey colorways, and the golden ‘Desert Titanium’ looks set to be this generation’s curveball color. The iPhone 16 Pro is also seemingly getting a new colorway, with leaks pointing towards a rose pink option for the slightly cheaper premium flagship.
While we’ve seen a gold phone from Apple before with the iPhone 14 Pro Max, this version of the colorway is much darker, bordering on bronze. There’s some suggestion it might be a popular option with users, though, with Apple tipster Mark Gurman suggesting, “gold is going to be the stand out color this year and potentially drive interest. It looks impressive and not terrible like the early renders.” If Gurman is right, and he usually is, this new colorway could be a big win for Apple.
We’re increasingly seeing more brands use titanium for flagships, with one of the best Android phones of 2024, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, also coming in a variety of titanium designs. The move to titanium makes sense from a design point of view. The material is both lighter and more durable than steel, making for a simultaneously more rugged and lightweight device. Titanium is more expensive, but it doesn’t seem like Apple is moving these costs onto the consumer.
Currently, we don’t have any confirmed details on the iPhone 16 launch. However, we’re anticipating it to be as soon as the second week of September, so we’ll know exactly what colorways we’re getting before long. Until then, it’s worth taking these rumors with a pinch of salt.