Apple is experimenting with two striking colour options for next year’s entry-level iPhone 17, according to well-known leaker Majin Bu. The tipster claims prototypes in a rich purple and a vibrant green are currently in the works, although only one shade is expected to survive Apple’s final selection process, with purple said to be the front-runner.
If either hue ships, it would break the five-colour palette of the current iPhone 16, which comes in Ultramarine, Teal, Pink, White, and Black. New colours have become a reliable launch-day draw for Apple’s mainstream handsets, and a fresh purple, last seen on the iPhone 14 line, could help distinguish the relatively incremental iPhone 17 refresh.
Majin Bu’s track record is mixed: the leaker correctly predicted iPadOS 26’s new Mac-style menu bar but missed on a rumoured Stage Manager expansion for USB-C iPhones. That history means the colour claim is plausible yet far from certain and should be treated with caution until mass production ramps up later this summer.
New Paint Job and Not So New Components
Beyond the paint job, the base iPhone 17 is expected to resemble its predecessor. Analyst Jeff Pu has indicated the handset will reuse Apple’s A18 chip, stick with 8 GB of RAM, and introduce a 120 Hz display alongside a 24-megapixel selfie camera, up from today’s 60 Hz panel and 12-megapixel front sensor. Display specialist Ross Young also forecasts a slightly larger 6.3-inch screen.
Apple traditionally reveals new iPhones in the second week of September, and industry watchers anticipate a 9 September 2025 keynote, followed by pre-orders that Friday and retail availability a week later.
Colour variations have become a marketing staple for the Cupertino giant. Purple models appeared with the iPhone 12 and returned in deeper “Alpine Purple” form on the iPhone 14 Pro, while pastel green joined the iPhone 11, and a mint-toned option landed on the iPhone 13 line. The iPhone 17 Pro, meanwhile, is rumoured to adopt an “irresistible” sky-blue titanium finish next year.
Apple finalises colour palettes only after late-stage production tests, so these prototypes may never reach store shelves. Still, with development for the 2025 lineup well underway, a punchy new purple, or perhaps that eye-catching green, could soon freshen Apple’s autumn launch lineup.