iPhone 18 Pro Colors Leak: Coffee, Burgundy, and Purple Replace Black

Apple's ditching black again for next year's iPhone 18 Pro lineup. A new leak from China suggests the phones will come in three bold colors: Coffee, Burgundy, and Purple — skipping traditional black or Space Gray for the second year running.

The info comes from Instant Digital on Weibo, a leaker with a solid track record on Apple hardware. That's the same source that's been right about iPhone features before, so this isn't just random speculation.

What These Colors Actually Look Like

Coffee's a deep brown shade. Think earthy and warm, kind of like what Apple did with the iPhone XS Gold or the Desert Titanium on the iPhone 16 Pro. It's in the brown family but richer than straight tan.

Burgundy blends dark red with hints of brown and purple. Picture a wine-red tone that's way more sophisticated than the bright reds Apple usually saves for the standard iPhone line.

Purple isn't new to iPhones — we've seen it on the iPhone 11, 12, and 14 models. But this version will probably be deeper and more muted than those lighter lavender shades Apple used before.

Why Apple Keeps Skipping Black

This marks the second straight year without a true black Pro model. The iPhone 17 Pro launched in September with Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue, and Silver — no black option anywhere.

And that Cosmic Orange choice caused drama. The color's been fading to pink on some units after UV exposure, according to reports from owners on Reddit and other forums. The Deep Blue version also developed weird whitish rings around the camera module.

The switch to anodized aluminum for the iPhone 17 Pro (after years of titanium) opened up more vibrant color options. But it also made the finishes more vulnerable to scratches and discoloration. Apple even warns against cleaning with hydrogen peroxide because it can strip the dye from anodized aluminum.

Translation Gets Tricky With Color Names

Here's where it gets complicated: the original Weibo post uses Chinese terms that translate differently depending on the service. "Coffee" might also be "coffee brown." "Burgundy" could translate as "wine red."

But the core message stays consistent across translations — Apple's testing warmer, richer tones instead of the blacks and grays that dominated Pro models for years.

iPhone Pro Color History Shows Apple's Shift

Looking back at what Apple's done with Pro colors tells you where they're heading:

The iPhone 11 Pro in 2019 had Midnight Green as the standout option. The iPhone 12 Pro added Pacific Blue. The iPhone 13 Pro brought Sierra Blue, then Alpine Green mid-cycle. iPhone 14 Pro introduced Deep Purple.

Then came the titanium era. The iPhone 15 Pro and 16 Pro stuck with bland Titanium finishes — Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium, Desert Titanium. Safe, boring, forgettable.

The iPhone 17 Pro's switch back to aluminum let Apple go wild with Cosmic Orange. Now the iPhone 18 Pro might push even further with Coffee and Burgundy — two colors that have never appeared on any iPhone before.

What's Coming Beyond Colors

The iPhone 18 Pro's expected to launch in fall 2026, which gives Apple plenty of time to finalize these color choices. Manufacturing typically starts a few months before the September announcement.

Beyond colors, leaks suggest the phone will get Apple's A20 chip built on TSMC's 2nm process. That means better power efficiency and faster performance than the current generation.

A variable aperture main camera is rumored too, giving you more control over depth of field and low-light photography. Plus Apple's reportedly simplifying the Camera Control button to make it pressure-sensitive only, dropping the capacitive gesture support.

The iPhone 18 lineup might also include four models: the standard iPhone 18, iPhone Air 2, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and possibly Apple's first foldable iPhone.

Will Apple Stick With These Colors?

It's November 2025 right now. The iPhone 18 Pro won't arrive until September 2026 at the earliest. That's almost a full year away, and Apple's known for testing multiple color options internally before deciding what ships.

The company intentionally leaked the iPhone 17 Pro colors early to gauge reactions. Same thing might be happening here — float Coffee, Burgundy, and Purple in November, watch the internet debate it, then adjust based on feedback.

But one thing's clear: Apple's moving away from the safe, neutral palette that defined Pro iPhones for years. Whether that's good or bad depends on if you wanted another black phone or if you're ready for something that actually stands out.