iPhone 18 Pro Max may come in just three colors

Apple’s official announcement of its “Surprise and Shine” event on September 9 signals that the unveiling of its next-generation iPhones is fast approaching. Yet as the countdown continues, rumors surrounding the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max keep emerging, potentially giving away some of the surprises Apple has planned for the event.

In a new post shared on Weibo on Tuesday, well-known leaker Fixed Focus Digital suggested that the color lineup for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max could be smaller than previous rumors indicated.

Instead of four colors, the new iPhone Pro models may be offered in just three.

According to the source, the iPhone 18 Pro has now entered mass production. That is hardly surprising given how close the expected launch is. More notably, Fixed Focus Digital said there have yet to be sufficiently reliable leaks revealing the official iPhone 18 Pro color lineup.

The account said the three expected options are Sky Blue, Pure Black and either Burgundy or Wine Red.

Intriguingly, one of the colors shown in an accompanying image may not make it onto store shelves this year.

Light gray could disappear from Apple’s lineup

The image shows four iPhone 18 Pro models positioned side by side in a style resembling Apple’s own promotional imagery.

Between the blue and black models is a very light gray version. This is the color that Fixed Focus Digital believes is most likely to be dropped.

If the information proves accurate, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max would continue the three-color strategy introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro generation.

The bigger surprise, however, would be Apple abandoning a light, near-white option that has long been familiar to buyers of its Pro iPhones.

Looking back at previous generations, such a move would represent a notable change. From the iPhone 14 Pro through the iPhone 16 Pro, Apple offered its premium models in four colors.

The lineup generally included one dark, near-black shade, one light, near-white option and two additional colors, typically neutral metallic tones or a more distinctive statement color.

The iPhone 14 Pro, for example, attracted attention with Deep Purple, while subsequent generations saw Apple experiment with different finishes to give each Pro lineup its own identity.

With the iPhone 17 Pro, Apple unexpectedly reduced the selection to three colors: the very light Silver, the much darker Deep Blue and the eye-catching Cosmic Orange.

If the latest rumor is accurate, the iPhone 18 Pro Max could again come in three colors, but with a significant difference: Apple may eliminate the traditional light white or silver-like option altogether.

Burgundy could become the new signature color

Among the rumored colors for the iPhone 18 Pro, Burgundy is attracting particular attention.

The shade has also previously been referred to as Dark Cherry, suggesting a deep red similar to a dark cherry tone.

Several sources have suggested that it could replace or build on the idea behind Cosmic Orange on the iPhone 17 Pro.

Choosing a bold, instantly recognizable color would also fit Apple’s recent direction, with its Pro lineup increasingly embracing more distinctive finishes rather than relying almost entirely on neutral shades.

Previous rumors, however, have largely suggested that the iPhone 18 Pro Max would come in four colors, including variations of black, silver, Burgundy and blue.

So far, there has been little reliable information indicating that Apple will actually reduce the lineup to just three options.

Hai Phong