Physical dummy models posted by leaker Sonny Dickson on Thursday offer the first real-world confirmation of Apple's iPhone 18 Pro color lineup, validating months of supply chain rumors and revealing a true black option returning to the Pro lineup for the first time in years. The dummy units show the iPhone 18 Pro Max in four finishes: Black, Silver, Light Blue, and a purplish Dark Cherry that replaces last year's popular Cosmic Orange. Dickson posted the images to X with the caption: "Cherry will probably be the next hit, orange did very well."
Dark Cherry has been in the rumor pipeline since at least February, when Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported Apple was testing a deep red finish for the Pro models. Macworld subsequently identified the shade as Pantone 6076, describing it as closer to wine than a bright red and considerably more muted than Cosmic Orange.
Leaker "Instant Digital," who accurately predicted the iPhone 14's yellow finish, characterized it as a blend of burgundy, coffee, and deep purple. The Light Blue finish (Pantone 2121) resembles the Sierra Blue from the iPhone 13 Pro, per Macworld, while the dark gray option from earlier Macworld reporting appears in the dummies as a true black finish. The Silver option rounds out the lineup and looks similar to the current iPhone 17 Pro's silver.
What makes this leak significant is that these are physical dummy models, not renders. AppleInsider notes the dummies' camera plateaus and three-lens arrays confirm they represent the Pro and Pro Max variants. The colors reportedly match the Pantone codes supplied to Macworld's source, strongly suggesting this is the final palette Apple will ship. The Dark Cherry shade is already influencing the broader industry. Notebookcheck reports Android phone makers are expected to prototype similar hues, following the pattern set by Cosmic Orange last year.
Design changes beyond the colors remain subtle. The rectangular glass below the camera more closely matches the surrounding aluminum, and the camera plateau sits slightly higher than on the iPhone 17 Pro. A 25-35% smaller Dynamic Island is expected on the front.
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in September alongside the foldable iPhone Ultra, the company's first folding phone.
