New supply chain information reveals the four shades Apple may bring to its 2026 iPhone 18 Pro colors this September. The popular and vibrant cosmic orange is gone, with a dark, wine-colored cherry red in its place, according to a new report.
iPhone 18 Pro colors: Dark cherry steps into the spotlight
Apple’s next iPhone Pro models are still months away, but the color rumor mill never stops spinning. iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to launch in four colors — dark cherry, light blue, dark gray and silver — according to a new report in Macworld.
Each year, Apple introduces a new signature color for the iPhone Pro lineup. For iPhone 17 Pro, that standout was the vibrant cosmic orange. For 2026, Macworld reports that the headline hue will be dark cherry — a deep, wine-like red that will be much closer to wine than fruit punch.
The colors and corresponding Pantones
Image: Apple/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
While dark cherry probably won’t be as bright and striking as cosmic orange when you see it in person, it will still be unique enough to distinguish it as the new iPhone 18 Pro color. Cosmic orange and some other current Pro colors could be discontinued.
The magazine’s source provided Pantone color codes reportedly being used internally by Apple:
- Dark cherry (Pantone 6076)
- Light blue (Pantone 2121)
- Dark gray (Pantone 426C)
- Silver (Pantone 427C)
A familiar palette with a fresh twist
Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac
Alongside dark cherry, Apple has reportedly been experimenting with a light blue option that would resemble the mist blue color currently found on the base iPhone 17, as well as a dark shade of gray and a silver variant similar to the current generation.
That said, there’s no guarantee all four colors will actually make it to store shelves. Apple doesn’t always offer four color options for its Pro models, so one of these hues could be dropped before launch. The colors are all still in development, and since the iPhone 18 Pro hasn’t entered mass production yet, Apple still has time to make changes.
This isn’t the first time a red-adjacent hue has been rumored for the 18 Pro. Other sources had previously reported on a “dark red” color. And Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman along with other leakers had suggested Apple was experimenting with a shade of red for this year’s phones. The new report appears to confirm the direction while adding more specific detail.
What about the foldable iPhone?
Photo: Sonny Dickson
Apple’s rumored foldable iPhone — reportedly being called the iPhone Ultra — will take a more restrained approach to color.
Apple has been working on a classic silver and white model, as well as an indigo option similar to the iPhone 17 Pro’s deep blue. The foldable is expected to have fewer color choices than the standard Pro models.
Design changes on the way, too
Color isn’t the only change reportedly coming to the 18 Pro. CAD drawings show that the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will look very similar to their predecessors, but with a smaller Dynamic Island — meaning more usable screen space when Live Activities aren’t active.
iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max and the foldable iPhone are all expected to launch in September 2026. But some analysts suggest the foldable model may arrive at stores at a later date.
As always, treat all of this as rumor until Apple makes it official — but if dark cherry is indeed the real deal in iPhone 18 Pro colors, it looks like a classy, bold evolution from cosmic orange.
David Snow, an expert on Apple hardware and software, writes on a variety of technological and cultural topics for Cult of Mac. They include Apple news, technology buying guides, and features about computer setups and Apple TV shows and movies.
With 30 years of experience covering technology and other subjects, he has written and edited for numerous print and online publications, including CMP Media, TechTV.com, CNET, Wired News, Red Herring magazine, Law.com, The National Law Journal and Law Technology News magazine. Among other roles, he served as executive editor of the Law.com network of websites and editorial director, technology, for ALM Media.
Snow graduated with a B.A. from Syracuse University with majors in magazine journalism and psychology. While there, he worked as a reporter for The Daily Orange newspaper and associate editor of Equal Time magazine.
Founder of the blog At the Waterline, he can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) via @atthewaterline and on Mastodon via @dsnow.
