GoKawiilBrady Snyder / Android Authority
For a while, color options for flagship phones felt stale. The top iPhones and Android phones always seemed to be limited to neutral colors and muted pastels. If you wanted something bright or bold, you were out of luck. Now, the tide seems to be turning. We have a bright orange iPhone 17 Pro, a deep purple Samsung Galaxy S26, a rich blue Galaxy Z Fold 7, and a pastel green Google Pixel 10 Pro. These fresh color palettes offer something new in a world with too much black, white, gray, and silver.
After buying numerous personal phones with traditionally boring colors, like my white titanium iPhone 16 Pro or my titanium silver Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, I thought I wanted a change. Then, I tested review units of Samsung’s boldest blue and purple colorways. These devices looked pristine out of the box, and I loved the unique look, but it was only temporary. All it took was a few drops leaving permanent scrapes for me to realize colorful phones aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.
Do you buy Android phones with flashy colors? 81 votes Yes, I use my phone without a case 9 % Yes, I like my phone to stand out 16 % No, I prefer neutral phone colors 16 % No, I use my phone with a case 52 % No, neutral colors hold resale value better 5 % Something else (comments) 2 %
One drop ruined my colorful Galaxy phones
Brady Snyder / Android Authority
I’d like to think that I take pretty good care of my smartphones, and I’m not someone who cracks or otherwise damages devices often. That said, I also make it a habit to not baby the review units that cross my desk. In order for me to test the latest Pixel or Galaxy, I need to take it out in the real world as my daily driver, and the occasional drop, slip, or fall comes with the territory.
So, when my “Cobalt Violet” Galaxy S26 or “Blue Shadow” Galaxy Z Fold 7 hit the pavement for the first time, I wasn’t exactly surprised. What did shock me was just how clearly you could make out a simple scratch or scuff on these colorful models. The tiniest marks cut into the vivid aluminum color, revealing the natural silver hue underneath. Something that was initially the phone’s focal point quickly became a reminder of its fading condition — even after only a few weeks of use.
It’s not just a Samsung problem, either. After noticing the rough condition of my purple Galaxy S26 and blue Galaxy Z Fold 7, I also checked my “Lavender” Google Pixel 10a review unit. Sure enough, there are minuscule marks on the aluminum frame where the purple finish has started to come off. Users are experiencing similar issues with their iPhone 17 series phones, reinforcing that this certainly isn’t a brand issue. It’s a color and material flaw.
Brady Snyder / Android Authority
... continue reading