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Here’s another look at the iPhone 16 Pro’s controversial new color

The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max's camera module.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

When it comes to the iPhone 16, fans grasp tightly to every tidbit and nugget of information that comes across their feed.  Last week, we reported on a potential new brown color option for the iPhone 16 Pro, and the reception to it was mixed, to be generous.

The likelihood of this being a real color choice for the iPhone 16 Pro has been strengthened thanks to known leaker Majin Bu’s post on X. This leaker has a solid track record for Apple, hitting the nail on the head more often than not. They describe the color as “Desert Titanium” and say it looks more like a dark gold.

The iphone 16 and 16 Pro Camera Rings.
Majin Bu on X

Bu’s post shows an up-close image of the camera ring, including the new color first seen in the leak from last week. You can see the new image above.

This fits with what we’ve seen from Apple before. Apple tends to have one specific color reserved for its Pro lineup. For the iPhone 15 Pro, that was “Blue Titanium,” so the naming convention is on par with previous generations.

Apple should hold its next iPhone event in September. Exactly when is anyone’s guess, but going by the company’s past history, you can expect it on the second Tuesday or Wednesday of the month, either the 10th or the 11th this year.

Not sure what to expect? Chances are good that we’ll see the iPhone 16 lineup officially announced and confirmed. There’s also a chance of news on other Apple products, too.

iPhone 16 Pro dummy units.
Sonny Dickson

This new Desert Titanium color is a bit of a disappointment, and it’s too bad that it isn’t a true Rose Gold (I’d buy that — it matches my wedding ring). Still, it’s still nice to see a break from the usual blacks, whites, and grays that so often dominate phone color choices.

To say it’s controversial would be an understatement. Digital Trend’s Christine Romero-Chan said it was the “worst iPhone color” she’s ever seen, contrasting the Desert Titanium with Google’s Pixel 9 color lineup and its bright, more cheery options.

Patrick Hearn
Patrick Hearn writes about smart home technology like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, smart light bulbs, and more. If it's a…
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