Update – I may in fact be cursed, that rumored iPhone 16 Pro color is real

iPhone 16 Pro Max
(Image credit: Apple)

Editor's note: We live in strange times. With all that's going on in the world, one can sometimes feel cursed. And yeah, I feel like fate is conspiring against me today. 

The reason for this is because the Desert Titanium iPhone 16 Pro is real. And it's not a color I'd have asked for. I'd have rather a nice shade or purple or dark green. But in fairness, in official images Desert Titanium doesn't look too bad. 

However I had a knee-jerk reaction to rumors of its existence which you can read below in the original copy of this article. And I'm not convinced it's the color I'd choose. Anyway, give the rest of the article a gander, and then pop up back up here for our iPhone 16 launch event live blog recap and everything Apple announced and 16 things we learned

I’m not a complex man, despite the claims of my therapist (the one that lives in my head); I like things to be simple and sleek. I’m a plain dark tee kinda guy. I don’t like beers that pretend to be liquid chocolate or mango. And I think Space Gray is the best iPhone color. 

So the rumor of a so-called 'Desert Titanium' color for the not yet official but much-anticipated iPhone 16 Pro turns my stomach a little. 

Maybe I’m just 187cm of lack-of-imagination. Or I have such a vision for aesthetics that I find a white room ambrosia for my eyes. But something about this tipped colorway is rubbing me up the wrong way. 

I’ve seen it touted as a bronze color – which I’m not against, as I’m currently taking the rather lovely Christopher Ward C63 Dune bronze watch for a spin. But that’s made of actual bronze and is developing a patina, mellowing from a slightly too yellow hue to a warm brown. 

However, in my time so far with the iPhone 15 Pro Max I've found that its titanium chassis seems near immune to staining or marking (heck, it’s shrugged off some rather serious drops) let alone discoloration, and that's something I miss when compared to the rather lovely iPhone 13 Pro.

So there’s no scope for an bronze-ish Desert Titanium iPhone 16 Pro to develop a patina, meaning one could be saddled with a phone that doggedly holds onto a color tone that’s not the buttery yellow of caramel or the warm glow of gold (for what it’s worth I think gold iPhones have should have no place on this planet), but rather something sickly in between.

Bothersome bronze

Also bronze is the color of losers; don’t @ me. 

It’s basically the runner-up medal, which to me feels like a bigger sting than just getting a ribbon or certificate saying you took part. Bronze says you tried hard but still missed the loftier podium positions. And as a one-time British bronze medalist in a 200 meters freestyle swimming race, I know the feeling of having such metal on my person. 

The only exception is the bronze on the aforementioned watch. And even then that feels a little try-hard with its desire to age at speed.

So yeah, I’m really not convinced by the idea of a Desert Titanium iPhone 16 Pro. I will reserve the right to change my mind if I see the phone in person, because I’m flighty like that. And there’s more than enough scope for this rumored shade to not actually see the light of day.

Outside of Desert Titanium, the rest of the tipped iPhone 16 Pro colors seem more pleasing to my eye, with gray, white and Space Black shades to be expected; still no Space Gray though, much to my chagrin.

Of course, with the next Apple event set for September 9 – check out our guide on how to watch the iPhone 16 launch event live – we’ll soon see what iPhone 16 which rumors turn out to have been accurate and which were complete tosh. And TechRadar will be over in Cupertino to cover the ‘It’s Glowtime’ event live, so I’ll be keen to see what my colleagues Lance Ulanoff and Jacob Krol make of the new iPhone 16 colors in general.

You might also like

TOPICS
Managing Editor, Mobile Computing

Roland Moore-Colyer is Managing Editor at TechRadar with a focus on phones and tablets, but a general interest in all things tech, especially those with a good story behind them. He can also be found writing about games, computers, and cars when the occasion arrives, and supports with the day-to-day running of TechRadar. When not at his desk Roland can be found wandering around London, often with a look of curiosity on his face and a nose for food markets. 

Read more
The iPhone 16 Pro in four shades
iPhone 16 Pro colors: every shade for the Pro and Pro Max
iPhone 16 Pro in hand
I'm a huge Apple fan but even I'm getting bored of the iPhone
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
Leaked iPhone 17 renders hint at major design changes – including 3 controversial changes for the Pro and Pro Max
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
New iPhone 17 Pro rumor predicts bizarre new camera bar design, but we're far from convinced
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
iPhone 17 Pro: latest rumors, tips and everything we’ve heard so far
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
iPhone 17: latest news and rumors for every expected model
Latest in iPhone
Apple iPhone 16 Pro HANDS ON
Leaked iPhone 17 dummy units may have given us our best look yet at all four models
Three iPhone 16 handsets on show
Apple could launch an iPhone 17 Ultra this year – but we've heard these rumors before
Apple iPhone 16 Pro on sky blue background with don't miss text overlay
Verizon has just quietly debuted its best iPhone 16 Pro deal yet - get it for free alongside a plan that costs just $25/mo
Apple iPhone 16e on blue background with big savings text overlay
Total Wireless' latest iPhone 16e deal gets you $300 off plus a cheap plan for a year
The Apple iPhone 16e held at a slant at a window
From iPhone to Android and (almost) back again – the iPhone 16e failed to lure me back to iOS
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
The latest iPhone 17 Pro Max leak may have given us another look at its upcoming redesign
Latest in Opinion
Apple CEO Tim Cook delivers remarks before the start of an Apple event at Apple headquarters on September 09, 2024 in Cupertino, California. Apple held an event to showcase the new iPhone 16, Airpods and Apple Watch models. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
The big Siri Apple Intelligence delay proves that maybe we really don't know Apple at all
Racks of servers inside a data center.
Modernizing data centers: an efficient path forward
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
Apple Intelligence is a fever dream that I bet Apple wishes we could all forget about
Asus ROG Ally using Steam
I think Asus could be the perfect partner for an Xbox handheld – but I have questions
Hands typing on a keyboard surrounded by security icons
The psychology of scams: how cybercriminals are exploiting the human brain
A person using a desktop computer.
The role of automation in achieving sustainability goals