Summary
- iPhone 17 Pro’s Cosmic Orange is now one of the most popular colors in the smartphone industry.
- Orange Android smartphones are nothing new, but Apple’s adoption will push orange into the mainstream.
- Orange phones pop and look great with cases, but it remains to be seen whether the trend will age.
Apple shocked the smartphone world with its choice of colors in the new iPhone 17 and 17 Pro lineups. Chief among them is the vibrant Cosmic Orange color in the Pro phones. Other manufacturers are to follow suit, so brace yourself for a rise of orange phones in 2026.
Orange Is the New Black
While Apple isn’t new to vibrant phone colors, it hasn’t exactly been leading the trend in recent years. Many of us still probably remember the colorful iPhone 5C, but in recent generations, iPhone color choices have been largely muted.
So it was a surprise when, instead of the usual black, white, silver, and gold, the Pro models came in just three colors: standard Silver, Deep Blue, and the head-turning Cosmic Orange. Whether orange itself is dominating mainstream fashion is debatable, as you could probably find an article telling you any color is “back in style,” but one thing’s for sure—Apple’s launch perfectly timed the iPhone for pumpkin season.
Orange is a bold color that stands out in any scenario. For people who want an interesting conversation starter or a pop of color on their favorite device, it’s the perfect choice. If you’re planning to buy an iPhone 17 Pro, you might as well get it in the most interesting color to make it feel more special.
If you’ve only ever had boring-colored phones, taking a fashionable orange out of your pocket or purse will feel noticeably more exciting for the first few months. Even with a case on, the orange will still pop nicely around the camera cutout.
Truthfully, any bright, warm color would turn heads, since these hues are naturally expressive and evoke warmth and sunlight. The regular iPhone 17 launched in pink, blue, and green, so the Pro needed its own standout color to stand out.
Red was probably off the table because Apple already has a long history with (PRODUCT)RED (fingers crossed for more of those), and yellow simply doesn’t have the same bold, sophisticated feel as orange.
Orange Isn’t New, but Apple Doing It Will Make It Popular
I know I’ve been talking a lot about the iPhone 17 Pro here, but the truth is that Android smartphone manufacturers have released numerous orange phones over the years. One of the most high-profile releases was the Google Pixel 4 in Oh So Orange, which quickly became popular among enthusiasts looking for something different.
That was back in 2019, and while Google hasn’t returned to orange since, other manufacturers have continued to push forward with bold hues.
Look no further than the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra’s Titanium Orange (or the regular S24’s Sandstone Orange). Since the S24 Ultra uses titanium rails, which are harder to anodize than aluminum, the color is noticeably more muted (which is why iPhones switched back to aluminum this year). I personally prefer the pastel tones of the Ultra, and I think Samsung missed a huge opportunity by ditching the color on the S25 Ultra.
My favorite smartphone manufacturer, Realme, has been releasing orange flagships for a few years now. Several phones in the Realme GT lineup (including the upcoming GT 8 Pro) have come in orange, and other Chinese manufacturers like Xiaomi and Huawei have been doing the same over the past few years.
As recently as a few months ago, Nothing’s sub-brand CMF released an orange Phone 2 Pro and Buds 2. In fact, orange seems to be CMF’s signature color, as nearly every product they release now gets an orange variant.
Looking at all these orange Android phones, it’s hard not to feel like the iPhone is copying them—and not the other way around. Still, it doesn’t really matter who came first; what matters is that iPhones are the most popular phones in the world, and any trend they start is bound to be picked up by the rest. Mark my words: by 2026, there won’t be a single flagship phone from any manufacturer without an orange option.
9/10
- Brand
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CMF
- SoC
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MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro 5G
The CMF Phone 2 Pro sets a new standard for sub-$300 phones. With a distinct look, modular accessories, and competent performance, this is an easy phone to love. That’s not to say everything is perfect, with the location of the Essential Key in particular prone to frustrate many buyers.
Should You Get an Orange Phone?
This might sound like a strange topic of discussion at first, as the answer is obvious: just get a phone in the color you like the most. While I completely support that sentiment, I still want to touch on a few practical considerations for getting an orange phone.
First and foremost is resale value. While rare colors and special releases tend to hold their value better, like the red iPhones in past years, orange is unlikely to be rare on the used market. A few years from now, it will probably be fairly common, so how much money you can get for your orange phone will likely depend more on its condition and RAM/storage than its color.
If someone is really set on getting an orange variant, they might pay $20 to $50 extra, but don’t buy an orange phone just for potential value retention. Who knows, orange could fall out of favor by 2030, leaving you with a phone nobody wants.
The second consideration is whether you use a case on your phone. Let’s be honest—most of us like to protect our pricey investments with cases (myself included).
Traditionally, you might think that the phone’s color only matters if the case is transparent, but with camera bumps bigger than ever and massive camera “islands” now requiring cutouts in cases, the color of your phone can actually peek through. That said, it’s usually smarter to invest in a good case in the color you want rather than stressing too much about the phone’s color itself.
Some considerations are specific to orange, though. On the one hand, it’s a bright color that makes your phone easier to spot in the dark or in a backpack. On the other hand, because it stands out so much, it can draw attention in meetings or formal settings (which is where a black case can help).
What concerns me most is how long this trend will last. Orange is trendy now, but is it a color you’d be comfortable with if it starts to feel dated a few years from now? If it’s a color you love, go ahead. Otherwise, it’s worth reconsidering.
Orange phones are one of the more interesting tech trends in recent times. They’re fun and stand out, which is why people love them so much. A phone is a highly personal item, and you should take every chance you can to make it feel special to use. If you want a pop of color or a bold fashion statement, an orange phone is definitely a great way to do it—assuming you’re not just buying into the hype.