A Crimson Red iPhone 15 Pro

What We Heard: In July, a source reported that “Crimson Red” would be the special color for this year’s iPhone 15 Pro lineup, confirming a report shared by 9to5Mac in February. It seemed like a natural evolution from the Midnight Green, Pacific Blue, Sierra Blue, Alpine Green, and Deep Purple of prior models, which made it quite believable.

What We Got: Titanium Blue. While that seems like an odd repeat of the Pacific Blue iPhone 12 Pro, it’s probably a better fit for Apple’s new titanium design, and it may have even been the only color Apple could pull off with its new and more complex metallurgical processes. Interestingly, Apple also failed to release its standard iPhone in (PRODUCT)RED for the first time since the iPhone XR adopted it in 2019. That may have also been a problematic color for its new glass-infusion process — the entire lineup leans pastel — but it’s also possible both reds could become the surprise colors for next spring.