Will the iPhone 18 Pro Inherit Last Year’s Fading Color Flaw?
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Buyers of Apple’s upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max handsets could find themselves dealing with the same color-changing issues that affected the iPhone 17 Pro lineup’s cosmic orange option.
It wasn’t long after last fall’s iPhone 17 models went on sale that folks who’d opted for a cosmic orange iPhone 17 Pro model began complaining that its finish had morphed to a somewhat pinkish rose gold-like color.
As we reported back then, the first photo of the chameleon-like iPhone activity was met with derision, with claims the image had been photoshopped. However, it wasn’t long before images from other iPhone 17 Pro owners showed the same issue. The iPhone’s aluminum frame had turned a deeper, pinkish color while the device’s glass back retained its original 1970s appliance-like hue. In cases where the iPhone was kept in, well, a case, only the camera plateau had darkened. This indicated that the areas that were exposed to air or light were more affected.
Now, with the iPhone 18 Pro lineup expected to arrive in just a few months, one well-known leaker claims we’re about to see the same issues with the new handset.
A June 12 post by Weibo leaker Fixed Focus Digital warns customers who are planning to buy an iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max that they may also see the same color fading that affected the previous generation of Pro handsets.
In the post, the leaker claims, “Apple’s next-generation iPhone 18 Pro series will still use aluminum alloy… The heat dissipation is indeed better, but if you don’t know what the iPhone 17 Pro went through, you should still be careful about the color fading issue with the new colors.”
The post reiterates a previous claim by the same leaker that the iPhone 18 Pro lineup will continue to sport an aluminum casing, not the titanium-based frame that some leakers believe will make a return.
Fixed Focus Digital has a fair track record when it comes to claims like this, but as always, any rumor should be taken with a grain of your favorite low-sodium seasoning.
If such an issue does once again rear its fading head, what exactly causes it? Well class, it’s a little something called the aluminum anodization process.
As we explained at the time, Apple likely used a finish for the aluminum frame of the iPhone that included an anodized oxide layer, incorporating an organic dye, which gave the handset its vibrant cosmic orange hue. Since organic dyes are more susceptible to fading or shifting hues when exposed to ultraviolet light, heat, or certain chemicals, it’s possible that a batch or two was under-sealed or used a less stable dye formulation, which could have caused gradual color changes even under normal use.
While the complaints eventually began to taper off a few weeks after launch, Apple still deals with the issue from time to time, while maintaining that it’s an issue restricted to certain batches of iPhones.
Apple’s reaction to the “controversy” indicates that it knew something wasn’t right with the finishes on the iPhones that showed the chameleon-like behavior. Many users who experienced the color change reported that Apple Support replaced their devices after they were inspected. That indicated they knew something was off, as Apple doesn’t typically offer replacements for cosmetic damage such as small scuffs or screen marks even for customers with AppleCare+, much less replacing an iPhone just because the color faded.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]
