For years, black has been extra than simply one other colour in Apple’s lineup. It has been the shorthand for “Professional.” Whenever you image a MacBook Professional on a desk, chances are high it’s the House Black mannequin. The iPad Professional? The iMac Professional? Identical story. Even Apple’s equipment, from the Magic Keyboard to the Magic Trackpad, can be found in a deep black choice.
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 House Black. Apple has successfully retired essentially the most “Professional” colour from its most necessary 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 typically ended up as a lighter variant like House Grey, however there was all the time an choice for followers of a darker, extra impartial colour.
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 choice a yr later.
In 2019, Apple unveiled the iPhone 11 Professional in a darkish inexperienced colour, however nonetheless supplied a House Grey choice. The iPhone 12 Professional and 13 Professional leaned on Graphite, whereas the iPhone 14 Professional got here in House Black, a end that made headlines for being the darkest iPhone Apple had made in years.
By the point the iPhone 15 Professional arrived, House Black felt like a default. Rumors prompt it will 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 really occurred
Earlier this yr, Macworld obtained entry to an inside doc that revealed the potential colours Apple had been experimenting with for the iPhone 17 lineup. We bought most of them proper, aside 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 selections, Apple didn’t go that route.
The iPhone 17 Professional is available in simply three colour choices this yr—however not black.
Apple
That raises a query: Did Apple deliberately step away from essentially the most Professional-looking colour, 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 choice – 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. But it surely’s not like Apple hasn’t made different black aluminum merchandise since then.
Why black issues for Professional customers
Black isn’t only a protected colour. 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 complicated.
By skipping black on the iPhone 17 Professional, Apple is creating a niche in its product household. You should purchase a House Black MacBook Professional, pair it with a House Black iPad Professional, after which… what? A silver or orange iPhone 17 Professional? The ecosystem all of the sudden feels inconsistent.
Black has been a staple of Apple’s flagship telephones for years.
Apple
Personally, I’m actually uncertain about which iPhone colour I ought to get this yr. I at the moment have a desert iPhone 16 Professional Max, which I believe is a really elegant colour 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 slightly too fundamental. Evidently there’s a fourth choice lacking, and that choice 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 essentially the most constant, skilled choice. 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 yr, simply because it has cycled via greens, purples, and golds earlier than. However for now, if you’d like a Professional iPhone that matches your black MacBook or Apple Watch, you’re out of luck.
Black has all the time been essentially the most Professional colour. With out it, the iPhone 17 Professional lineup seems just a bit much less… Professional.
