From the iPhone 8 to the iPhone 13, we take a look at ALL the color options for Apple’s iPhone (and how they’ve changed over the years)
Apple’s iPhone 13 is now official, bringing with it a host of new features and updates. The iPhone 13’s release hasn’t gone well, however, with massive shipping delays – upwards of 4 weeks for all models.
This year’s iPhones come in new color options, including a pink iPhone 13 option, as well as one new color for Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro models. But how has Apple’s choice of colors for its iPhones changed over the years?
In order to find out, we decided to take a look at all the colors that Apple’s iPhone 8 has been available in, going all the way back to the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. Let’s do this…
iPhone Colors Over The Years – iPhone 8 to iPhone 13
| iPhone Model | Color Options |
|---|---|
| iPhone 8 | Silver Space Grey Gold |
| iPhone 8 Plus | Silver Space Grey Gold Product Red |
| iPhone X | Silver Space Grey |
| iPhone XR | (PRODUCT) RED Yellow White Coral Black Blue |
| iPhone XS | Silver Space Grey Gold |
| iPhone XS Max | Silver Space Grey Gold |
| iPhone 11 | Purple Green White Black Yellow (PRODUCT)RED |
| iPhone 11 Pro | Silver Space Grey Gold Midnight Green |
| iPhone 11 Pro Max | Silver Space Grey Gold Midnight Green |
| iPhone 12 | Black White Blue Green Product Red Purple |
| iPhone 12 mini | Black White Blue Green Product Red Purple |
| iPhone 12 Pro | Gold Pacific Blue Silver Graphite |
| iPhone 12 Pro Max | Gold Pacific Blue Silver Graphite |
| iPhone 13 | Pink Blue Midnight Starlight Product Red |
| iPhone 13 Mini | Pink Blue Midnight Starlight Product Red |
| iPhone 13 Pro | Graphite Gold Sierra Blue Silver |
| iPhone 13 Pro Max | Graphite Gold Sierra Blue Silver |
Cheaper iPhones Come In More Colors
As you can see from the table above, there are some clear trends with how Apple spreads color across its iPhone models. The main trend is that Apple’s cheaper iPhones – its standard iPhone 12, iPhone 13, and iPhone XR – tend to come in more color options.
iPhone 13 / 13 Mini Colors 
iPhone 13 Pro / Pro Max
Why is this? No one really knows, to be honest. But it is likely down to the fact that Apple’s more expensive phones are designed and pitched towards more professional users. And professional users, at least in Apple’s eyes, probably want more conservative colors.
That’s the operating theory, anyway. Personally, I’d love to see Apple’s iPhones available in a whole gamut of color options. Apple is very conservative with its color choices. This is why we’ve only seen pink models twice – with the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 13.
As for the iPhone 13, if you’re interested in the difference between the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 13 Pro / Pro Max models, here’s a quick overview of how they’re different.
iPhone 13 Updates List
- iPhone 13 gets trickle-down updates from iPhone 12 Pro; it now runs the same 12-megapixel lens with an f/1.6 aperture as 2020’s iPhone 12 Pro. The iPhone 13’s new ultrawide camera also has a faster f/2.4 lens and 120-degree field of view, as well as sensor-shift stabilization technology.
- All iPhone 13 models feature Cinematic Mode; this technology will automatically transition focus in real-time which will make all the phones in the range better for shooting video. Apple used a parody of Knives Out to demonstrate how Cinematic Mode works.
- The iPhone 13 range features a smaller notch. The notch on the iPhone 13 is 20% smaller than it was before.
- iPhone 13 has better 5G performance than the iPhone 12. The iPhone 13’s connection to 5G networks is faster, according to Apple, and it will support more than 200 carriers in over 60 countries by the end of 2021.
- The iPhone 13 features Apple’s new A15 CPU. Apple says the new A15 chipset, while still a 5nm SoC, is 50% faster than its nearest competitor (the Snapdragon 888), although these claims have not been tested yet.
- The A15 chipset features two new high-performance cores and four new high-efficiency cores.
iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone Pro Max Updates List
- All of Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro models feature new 120Hz Super Retina XDR screens with improved brightness (up to 1000nits).
- The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max are available in the following colors: graphite, gold, silver, and a new light blue.
- All three cameras have been updated inside the iPhone 13 Pro lineup; you have better low light performance, thanks to larger sensors, a wider aperture for the ultra-wide lens, and 3x zoom for the telephoto lens. Night Mode is now supported on all three lenses too.
- The 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max now feature a new macro lens that’ll let you shoot objects from just 2cm away. All of Apple’s Pro models now feature sensor-shift optical image stabilization.
- The Pro models also get Cinematic mode but will also benefit from Apple’s new ProRes technology. You can film in 4K up to 30fps with the iPhone 13 Pro models and, with ProRes, a higher quality video format, you can then edit in more detail after footage has been filmed.
- All iPhone 13 Pro models get an extra tier of storage, 1TB – this is likely down to its use of ProRes.
- Apple has improved the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro’s battery life; the iPhone 13 Pro will last 1.5 hours longer than the iPhone 12 Pro, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max will last 2.5 hours longer than the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
| NETWORK | COST PER MONTH | UPFRONT FEE |
|---|---|---|
| THREE | £31pm w/ Unlimited Data | £29 |
| EE | £42pm w/ 40GB Data | £30 |
| VODAFONE | £31.50pm w/ Unlimited Data | £29 |
| O2 | £48pm w/ 150GB Data | £30 |
Richard Goodwin has been working as a tech journalist for over 10 years. He is the editor and owner of KnowYourMobile.
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