iPhones come in a variety of different colors, allowing customers to choose the look that best suits their style. But among the rainbow of options, which color reigns supreme in popularity? Let’s take a look at the data to find out which iPhone color most consumers are choosing today.
iPhone Colors Over the Years
Apple first introduced the iPhone in 2007 in a single black and silver color. Since then, the company has consistently expanded its color offerings with each new iPhone model. Here is a quick history of iPhone colors over the years:
| iPhone Model | Color Options |
|---|---|
| iPhone (1st gen) | Aluminum and black |
| iPhone 3G | Black and white |
| iPhone 3GS | Black and white |
| iPhone 4/4S | Black and white |
| iPhone 5 | Black and slate or white and silver |
| iPhone 5S | Space gray, silver, and gold |
| iPhone 5C | White, pink, yellow, blue, and green |
| iPhone 6/6S | Space gray, silver, gold, and rose gold |
| iPhone 7 | Black, jet black, silver, gold, and rose gold |
| iPhone 8 | Space gray, silver, and gold |
| iPhone X | Space gray and silver |
| iPhone XS/XR | Space gray, silver, and gold |
| iPhone 11 | Black, green, yellow, purple, white, and red |
| iPhone 12 | Black, white, red, green, and blue |
| iPhone 13 | Pink, blue, midnight, starlight, and red |
As you can see, while color choices started out limited, Apple has diversified its color lineup significantly over time, especially in recent years.
Recent iPhone Color Trends
The wider range of colors on newer iPhone models gives us more insight into current consumer preferences. Let’s analyze some of the latest data on the most popular iPhone colors.
iPhone XR Colors
The iPhone XR debuted in 2018 with 6 color options: black, white, blue, yellow, coral, and red. According to data gathered by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), the most popular iPhone XR color by far was black, chosen by 46% of buyers. The full breakdown of iPhone XR colors was:
- Black: 46%
- White: 32%
- Blue: 11%
- Yellow: 5%
- Coral: 5%
- Red: 1%
iPhone 11 Colors
When the iPhone 11 launched in 2019, it expanded the color options to 6 different shades: purple, yellow, green, black, white, and red. Sales data from SellCell found that black was again the most popular, making up over a third of all iPhone 11 purchases. Here are the iPhone 11 color percentages:
- Black: 38%
- White: 24%
- Green: 21%
- Purple: 9%
- Yellow: 5%
- Red: 3%
iPhone 12 Colors
The iPhone 12 series arrived in 2020 with 5 new colors: blue, green, black, white, and red. According to SellCell’s market analysis, blue overtook black in popularity for the first time. However, black and white still made up almost 50% of sales. Here is the breakdown for iPhone 12 colors:
- Blue: 24%
- Black: 23%
- White: 26%
- Green: 19%
- Red: 8%
iPhone 13 Colors
Last year’s iPhone 13 came in 5 shades: pink, blue, midnight, starlight, and red. Sales data from SellCell shows that blue remains the most popular color with a 26% share. But starlight and midnight colors also fared well. Here are the iPhone 13 color results:
- Blue: 26%
- Midnight: 24%
- Starlight: 20%
- Pink: 17%
- Red: 13%
So Which is the Most Popular iPhone Color?
Looking at the color choices for the latest four iPhone models, a few clear favorites emerge:
- Black – The classic black iPhone still reigns supreme, ranking as the top color for the iPhone XR and iPhone 11.
- White – Crisp white consistently performs well, hitting #2 across the board.
- Blue – Blue iPhone models are rapidly rising in popularity, taking the crown for the iPhone 12 and 13.
While personal taste varies, the data shows that you can never go wrong with a black, white, or blue iPhone. These three traditional colors make up the bulk of iPhone sales. However, color availability varies by model. Those wanting the latest iPhone in black may be out of luck, for instance.
Other interesting trends in the data:
- Colorful finishes like yellow and coral tend to be less popular.
- Subtle, neutral tones like starlight are gaining traction.
- Red iPhones have the lowest sales overall.
So in summary, the most popular iPhone colors are traditionally black, white, and blue. Black and white have long been staples in iPhone lineup. But recently, blue has become the surprise breakout color. It now leads in sales for the latest iPhone 12 and 13 models. Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see if blue can maintain its newfound popularity or if black makes a comeback. Either way, you can’t go wrong matching your iPhone to your style with a classic black, sophisticated white, or eye-catching blue model.
Factors Driving iPhone Color Popularity
So what makes certain colors more popular iPhone choices over others? There are a few key factors that likely influence consumers when selecting an iPhone color:
Availability
Obviously, colors that are widely available across iPhone models and editions tend to sell better overall. Colors like black, white, silver, and gold have been offered on nearly all iPhone generations. So sheer availability and familiarity drive up their sales numbers. Rarer colors only found on certain models will inherently have lower totals.
Neutral Versus Bold
Neutral tones like black, white, gray, and silver tend to have broader appeal. These colors are easy to match with cases and accessories. Additionally, neutral colors hide scuffs and signs of use better over time. Bolder colors like lime green or coral are harder to find compatible accessories for and show wear more readily. So while bold colors are fun, more buyers stick with neutral shades.
Trendiness
iPhone colors follow wider trends in technology and fashion. Warm metallics like gold and rose gold were hugely popular for a time. And blue is a hot color trend across many industries right now. Apple carefully considers color trend forecasts when selecting each iPhone’s color lineup.
Resale Value
Finally, resale value impacts color choice. Limited edition colors or those new on the market often appreciate in value and have higher resale prices. Colors that have been around for a long time and had high production runs tend to have lower resale values. Black, white, and silver colors are often easiest to resell for a good price.
Most Popular iPhone Colors By Model
Looking more closely at the color preferences for specific iPhone models reveals some interesting patterns. Here are the top 2 most popular colors for newer iPhone generations:
| iPhone Model | Top Color | 2nd Color |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone XR | Black | White |
| iPhone 11 | Black | White |
| iPhone 11 Pro | Space Gray | Silver |
| iPhone 11 Pro Max | Space Gray | Silver |
| iPhone SE (2020) | Black | White |
| iPhone 12 Mini | Blue | Black |
| iPhone 12 | Blue | Black |
| iPhone 12 Pro | Graphite | Silver |
| iPhone 12 Pro Max | Graphite | Silver |
| iPhone 13 Mini | Starlight | Midnight |
| iPhone 13 | Blue | Starlight |
| iPhone 13 Pro | Graphite | Silver |
| iPhone 13 Pro Max | Graphite | Silver |
A few patterns stand out. First, the regular iPhone models tend to favor brighter, bolder colors like blue. The Pro models usually opt for more subtle neutral tones like graphite and silver. Also, the mini models seem to attract more users to new colors like starlight.
Most Popular iPhone Colors on Specific Carriers
Does wireless carrier choice influence iPhone color preference? An analysis by Decluttr in 2021 found some slight color differences between major U.S. carriers. Here were the most popular iPhone colors by carrier:
- AT&T: Space Gray (26%), Silver (20%), Gold (13%)
- Verizon: Space Gray (27%), Silver (21%), Gold (12%)
- T-Mobile: Black (25%), White (17%), Red (14%)
- Sprint: Space Gray (28%), Silver (22%), Gold (11%)
The data shows more T-Mobile users opt for bold red and black iPhones, while other carriers lean toward gray, silver, and gold. However, the overall trends remain very similar across carriers, with most customers choosing traditional neutrals.
Global iPhone Color Preferences
How do iPhone color trends differ globally? According to 2017 sales data from Slice Intelligence, some interesting regional preferences emerge:
- The United States favored black (32%), gold (32%), and rose gold (21%).
- Canada’s top colors were black (40%), gold (28%), and rose gold (18%).
- Mexico chose black (39%), gold (29%), and silver (17%).
- In Europe, the most popular were black (37%), gold (29%), and silver (17%).
- The Middle East saw the highest share for gold (40%), along with black (30%) and silver (22%).
- Asia heavily favored both gold and jet black (34% each), then rose gold (14%).
Gold and rose gold shades proved more popular internationally than in the U.S. Still, black remained the global favorite overall. This analysis shows that while color preferences align largely worldwide, regional tastes do impact iPhone colorway popularity.
Conclusion
When it comes to iPhone colors, the data shows a few clear winners. Traditional black, white, and silver options remain go-to choices year after year. Recently, blue has soared in popularity to become the top color for latest-generation models. While personal taste varies, consumers tend to stick with neutral and versatile colors. Availability, trends, and resale value also sway color selections. But across models, carriers, and countries, no iPhone shade can dethrone classic black and white. For a timeless look, you can confidently choose either black or white for your next iPhone. However, if you want a pop of color that breaks from tradition, blue is undoubtedly the new black.
