Today's the day we're supposed to see the rumored iPhone 17. The Apple event keynote kicks off in a couple hours, and we're expecting the new phone line to be front and center.
There are plenty of rumors flying around about what we can expect from Apple's upcoming smartphone, like a redesigned camera and a bigger battery. But if you're the type of person that's more excited about Apple's aesthetics, design and sleekness, you've probably been wondering about what colors the iPhone 17 could come in.
The iPhone 16 came in several colors, including the traditional black and white iPhones we've seen for years. But we also saw pink, teal and ultramarine for base models, along with titanium finishes for Pro and Pro Max models. This year, there are rumors that we could see iPhone colors we've never seen before (including a bizarrely orange iPhone 17 Pro) and a few familiar ones -- like the M4 MacBook Air's sky blue. And instead of titanium, we could see aluminum finishes. More on that below.
We're inching ever closer to the keynote's big reveals, and CNET is bringing you all the live updates from the Apple event. In the meantime, here's what we've gathered from the swirling rumors about possible iPhone 17 colors.
The full color lineup for Apple's 2025 iPhones
Here's the full lineup for the rumored iPhone 17 base and Air models, according to leaker Majin Bu's image on X.
iPhone 17 colors
The base model of the iPhone 17 is rumored to come in the classic black and white, along with four new colors.
Black
White
Gray
Light green
Light purple
iPhone 17 Air colors
Black
White
Blue gray
Sky blue
iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max colors
Black
White
Gray
Dark blue
Orange
Yeux1122 has a similar lineup in their post, but the base options don't include gray.
Black and silver aren't surprising since we've seen both neutral colors in earlier iPhone models and generations. However, if you use a colored phone cover instead, like I do, it's nice to be able to stick with the simple classics.
The iPhone color I didn't see coming
Purple, blue and green are all part of the same color palette. The neutral colors don't quite surprise me since they're standard for iPhones at this point. But the color orange is shocking. Dickson expects that the color will only be for the Pro and Pro Max models.
Leaker Scott Dickson also noted the orange shade may end up being a dark gold or copper, but no other rumors point to that new color yet.
The leaked imagery we've seen so far does suggest that a pumpkin-colored iPhone 17 Pro is in the works, though. The particularly drab shade pictured in Bu's leaks is a massive departure from the other pastel hues. If the pictures are accurate, that orange phone is going to stick out like a sore thumb against the rest of the lineup.
Sky blue could be old to Apple, but a new iPhone hue
Here is the MacBook Air M4 in sky blue, the same color that the iPhone 17 Pro might come in. Josh Goldman/CNET
The early rumored color for the iPhone 17 was sky blue.
Well-known leaker Majin Bu posted the rumor of the new color on their blog, calling it "a refined, bright, and modern shade." But why sky blue?
Perhaps because the latest M4 MacBook Air currently comes in sky blue, an iPhone in the same color could be an aesthetic win for sky blue MacBook owners.
Bu initially wrote that the sky blue color could be for the iPhone 17 Pro, but recently scrapped that rumor to say sky blue would be for the iPhone 17 Air.
It seems like there's a possibility for different shades of blue, as we see in the lineup above. Rumor has it that there could be a blue option for the iPhone 17 base model and a dark blue for the iPhone 17 Pro. But based on Bu's post, there's a possibility of the iPhone 17 Air getting a sky blue hue. We'll have to wait and see which -- if any -- blues will be available for iPhone 17.
The possibility of purple
Bu posted on X and their blog on June 20 that Apple is testing purple and green, but that purple could be another new color for the iPhone 17's base models.
Bu said that purple could meet Apple's rumored demand for more personalization while blending into Apple's ecosystem for its other products.
If green is added to the iPhone 17 lineup, Bu says it could be a "fresh and natural tone, ideal for a minimalist yet striking aesthetic." Yeux1122 and Dickinson included both purple and green in their rumored lineups this month.
Could an aluminum iPhone design bring more colors?
Here is the iPhone 16 (left), 16 Plus, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max. James Martin/CNET
The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have a titanium frame, but analyst Jeff Pu predicted that the iPhone 17 could usher in the return of the aluminum frame for both the Pro and baseline models, as we've seen with earlier versions like the iPhone 14 lineup. Considering the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max's colors are based on titanium, it raises the question: Will an aluminum frame mean new colors?
The one phone in the iPhone 17 lineup that could have a titanium frame is the rumored slimmer iPhone 17 Air, according to Pu. We'll have to wait and see what Apple decides.
Read more: When Will You Get Your Hands on the iPhone 17? We're Tracking the Release Date
A look at past iPhone colors
Here is an iPhone 14 Pro in deep purple. Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Apple likes to release both new and familiar colors for every new iPhone release.
Usually, we see more color variations for the basic models, and more neutral colors for the Pro and Pro Max iPhone models. For instance:
The iPhone 14 came in six colors: midnight, starlight, red, blue, purple and yellow. However, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models only came in black, silver, gold and deep purple. The same is true for the 15 model phones, but Apple offered one fewer color for its base model.
iPhone 15 models were available in pink, yellow, green, blue and black, while Pro and Pro Max models arrived in more neutral tones like white, blue, black and natural titanium.
The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max colors didn't change from the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. However, the other iPhone 16 models were available in ultramarine, teal, pink, white and black.
It is unclear how many new colors we may see from the rumored iPhone 17, but as of now, a sky blue option could well be in your future.