For years, black has been more than another color in the Apple range. It is the stenography for “pro”. When you imagine a MacBook Pro on a desk, there is a good chance that it is the Black Space model. The iPad Pro? The Imac Pro? Same story. Even Apple accessories, from the magic keyboard to the magic trackpad, are available in a deep black option.
But this fall, something strange has happened. The new iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max do not come in black. Not jet black, not midnight, no black space. Apple actually removed the most “pro” color of its most important pro product.
A story of black iphones
Black has an inheritance at Apple. There is a black iPhone from the iPhone 3G. Over the years, the black shade has sometimes found itself as a clearer variant like Space Gray, but there was always an option for fans of a darker and more neutral color.
In 2016, the iPhone 7 introduced Jean’s Black, an ultra-brilliant finish which has instantly become a collector’s object despite its tendency to scratch. In 2017, the iPhone X only released in black and white, the iPhone XS adding an elegant gold option a year later.
In 2019, Apple unveiled the iPhone 11 Pro in a dark green color, but always offered a Gray Space option. The iPhone 12 Pro and 13 Pro relied on the graphite, while the iPhone 14 Pro came to Space Black, a finish that made the headlines to be the darkest iPhone than Apple had done for years.
As the iPhone 15 Pro arrived, Space Black was like a defect. Rumors have suggested that it would also continue to the iPhone 17 Pro, but when Apple unveiled the range this week, the option was not found.
Rumors compared to what really happened
Earlier this year, Macworld obtained access to an internal document which revealed that the potential colors that Apple had experienced for the iPhone 17 range. We had most of them, with the exception of an iPhone 17 in gray steel which apparently ended up being rebuilt.
The same document also suggested that Apple was planning to publish the iPhone 17 Pro in traditional dark, white and silver, in addition to the new deep blue and cosmic orange. However, while black and white seemed to be fairly obvious choices, Apple did not take this path.
The iPhone 17 Pro is available in three color options this year, but not in black.
Apple
This raises a question: has Apple intentionally removed from the most pro-color color, or was black simply a victim of the constantly evolving material science experiences?
We do not know exactly why Apple has abandoned a black option – it could be something related to the new material, because the black aluminum of the iPhone 5 tended to scratch easily. But it is not as if Apple had not manufactured other black aluminum products since.
Why black is important for professional users
Black is not only a safe color. It is a declaration. For professionals, black equipment goes perfectly with workflows. He does not cry out in a meeting room. Many people choose black devices because they are discreet, elegant and sophisticated.
By jumping black on the iPhone 17 Pro, Apple creates a gap in its family of products. You can buy a Space Black MacBook Pro, associate it with an iPad Pro Black Space, then… what? An iPhone 17 Silver or Orange? The ecosystem suddenly feels inconsistent.
Black has been a basic food for Apple flagship phones for years.
Apple
Personally, I’m not really sure of the color of the iPhone that I should get this year. I currently have an iPhone 16 Pro Max desert, which, I think, is a very elegant color because it is not too brilliant but always gives it a unique touch. Now the orange seems too brilliant and flashy. Dark blue did not draw my attention. And the money looks a little too basic. It seems that a fourth option is missing, and this option would be black.
Apple can say that its new finishes are just as premium, but the absence of black looks like a misstep. Professional users appreciate consistency, and for many, black is the most coherent professional option. It is the uniform of the Apple Pro range, and now the product is missing the most.
Perhaps Apple will reintroduce black next year, just as it has bike through green vegetables, purple and gold medals before. But for now, if you want a professional iPhone that corresponds to your black MacBook or Apple Watch, you are not lucky.
Black has always been the most pro color. Without that, the iPhone 17 pro range seems a little less … pro.
