Apple’s iPhone 17 launch event dropped plenty to unpack this past week. After years of incremental design tweaks, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max finally got a full visual overhaul—plus a brand-new addition to the lineup, the iPhone Air. As if picking a new phone wasn’t tricky enough already.
But amid the buzz around redesigns and specs, one question has stolen the spotlight for Apple fans as preorders went live: What’s the deal with the iPhone 17 Pro’s color options?
As revealed at the event, the Pro models come in Silver, Deep Blue, and… well, Cosmic Orange. That’s just three choices, down from the usual four—and the most iconic option is nowhere to be found.
Since the first Pro model debuted with the 2019 iPhone 11 Pro, Apple’s high-end phones have always included a shade of black. Sometimes it had a fancy name like “Graphite” or “Space Gray,” but they all served the same purpose: a sleek, understated, and timeless look that felt as professional as a Steve Jobs turtleneck.
Historically, Pro colors have stayed muted compared to the entry-level iPhones—and for good reason. The Pro line isn’t about fun; it’s about seriousness and premium quality. Just last year, the iPhone 16 Pro offered Natural Titanium, White Titanium, Desert Titanium, and of course, Black Titanium.
This year, though, Apple flipped the script. If you want a black iPhone, your only bets are the base iPhone 17 or the new iPhone Air. The standard 17 comes in soft pastels like Lavender and Mist Blue, plus classic Black and White. The Air keeps things subtle with Sky Blue, Light Gold, Cloud White, and Apple’s traditional “Space Black.”
Naturally, fans are scratching their heads—and two main theories have emerged to explain the missing black Pro:
- Production troubles: Rumors suggest the black version hit snags in manufacturing. Some insiders point to issues with the black anodizing process, which might not have met Apple’s quality standards . Others note that deep black finishes show scratches far more prominently—tests on the Deep Blue Pro already revealed visible scuffs, so a pure black model could have sparked a wave of complaints . There’s also talk of design conflicts: the Pro’s new camera bump and glass-aluminum back might have made black prone to chipping or paint loss .
- Strategic delay: This is classic Apple, some fans argue. The company could hold off on launching the black Pro for six months to keep buzz alive throughout the product cycle—even if that irritates anyone who bought a Silver or Orange model early .
The problem? The second theory is gaining so much traction that many users are hitting pause on purchases. “Not buying a new one until it comes in black—I’ll stick with my old phone,” read a typical comment on X. Another fan fumed: “Only three colors is insulting. Black is the basics. I don’t care about the magnetic cord—I want a black phone.”
Some even joked that the Pro’s color lineup would be better inverted, ditching the bright orange for a dark option.
Sure, third-party case makers are already churning out black cases for the Pro—likely anticipating demand for the missing shade . But not everyone wants to hide their $1,000+ phone in a case. And let’s be real: a naked orange Pro feels too flashy for many users, while the Deep Blue, though dark, still lacks that iconic black sophistication .
Is black ever coming to the iPhone 17 Pro? One fan floated a third, very Apple-esque theory: “iPhone 18’s big ‘feature’ will be bringing back black.”
Apple itself has hinted at a design shift rather than a mistake. Executives noted the Pro switched from titanium to anodized aluminum this year, which lets them offer bolder colors—like Cosmic Orange, inspired by the Apple Watch Ultra’s action button . They argued the move was to give Pro users more vibrant options, since fans had complained the line felt “monotonous” .
If you’re not willing to wait 12 months (or six, or forever) for a black Pro, preorders for the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and iPhone Air are live now on Apple.com. The phones launch next Friday, September 19.
