For years, black has been extra than simply one other coloration in Apple’s lineup. It has been the shorthand for “Professional.” Once you image a MacBook Professional on a desk, likelihood is it’s the Area Black mannequin. The iPad Professional? The iMac Professional? Similar story. Even Apple’s equipment, from the Magic Keyboard to the Magic Trackpad, can be found in a deep black possibility.
However this fall, one thing odd occurred. The brand new iPhone 17 Professional and iPhone 17 Professional Max don’t are available in black. Not Jet Black, not Midnight, not Area Black. Apple has successfully retired probably the most “Professional” coloration from its most vital Professional product.
A historical past of black iPhones
Black has a legacy at Apple. There was a black iPhone for the reason that iPhone 3G. Over time, the black hue generally ended up as a lighter variant like Area Grey, however there was at all times an possibility for followers of a darker, extra impartial coloration.
Again in 2016, the iPhone 7 launched Jet Black, an ultra-glossy end that immediately turned a collector’s merchandise regardless of its tendency to scratch. In 2017, the iPhone X was launched solely in black and white, with the iPhone XS including a smooth gold possibility a 12 months later.
In 2019, Apple unveiled the iPhone 11 Professional in a darkish inexperienced coloration, however nonetheless supplied a Area Grey possibility. The iPhone 12 Professional and 13 Professional leaned on Graphite, whereas the iPhone 14 Professional got here in Area Black, a end that made headlines for being the darkest iPhone Apple had made in years.
By the point the iPhone 15 Professional arrived, Area Black felt like a default. Rumors recommended it might carry ahead to the iPhone 17 Professional, too, however when Apple unveiled the lineup this week, the choice was nowhere to be discovered.
The rumors versus what truly occurred
Earlier this 12 months, Macworld obtained entry to an inner doc that revealed the potential colours Apple had been experimenting with for the iPhone 17 lineup. We received most of them proper, apart from a Metal Grey iPhone 17 that apparently ended up being scrapped.
The identical doc additionally hinted that Apple had plans to launch the iPhone 17 Professional within the conventional black, white, and silver, along with the brand new Deep Blue and Cosmic Orange. Nevertheless, whereas black and white appeared like fairly apparent decisions, Apple didn’t go that route.
The iPhone 17 Professional is available in simply three coloration choices this 12 months—however not black.
Apple
That raises a query: Did Apple deliberately step away from probably the most Professional-looking coloration, or was black merely a casualty of the corporate’s ever-changing materials science experiments?
We don’t know precisely why Apple scrapped a black possibility – it may very well be one thing associated to the brand new materials, for the reason that black aluminum on the iPhone 5 tended to scratch simply. Nevertheless it’s not like Apple hasn’t made different black aluminum merchandise since then.
Why black issues for Professional customers
Black isn’t only a secure coloration. It’s an announcement. For professionals, black {hardware} blends seamlessly into workflows. It doesn’t scream for consideration in a gathering room. Many individuals select black gadgets as a result of they’re discreet, elegant, and complex.
By skipping black on the iPhone 17 Professional, Apple is creating a niche in its product household. You should purchase a Area Black MacBook Professional, pair it with a Area Black iPad Professional, after which… what? A silver or orange iPhone 17 Professional? The ecosystem out of the blue feels inconsistent.
Black has been a staple of Apple’s flagship telephones for years.
Apple
Personally, I’m actually uncertain about which iPhone coloration I ought to get this 12 months. I presently have a desert iPhone 16 Professional Max, which I believe is a really elegant coloration because it’s not too vibrant however nonetheless provides it a little bit of a singular contact. Now the orange appears too vibrant and flashy. The darkish blue didn’t catch my consideration. And the silver seems just a little too primary. It appears that evidently there’s a fourth possibility lacking, and that possibility can be black.
Apple could argue that its new finishes are simply as premium, however the absence of black seems like a misstep. Professional customers worth consistency, and for a lot of, black is probably the most constant, skilled possibility. It’s the uniform of Apple’s Professional lineup, and now it’s lacking from the product that issues most.
Possibly Apple will reintroduce black subsequent 12 months, simply because it has cycled via greens, purples, and golds earlier than. However for now, if you need a Professional iPhone that matches your black MacBook or Apple Watch, you’re out of luck.
Black has at all times been probably the most Professional coloration. With out it, the iPhone 17 Professional lineup seems just a bit much less… Professional.