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New Mid-Cycle iPhone 15 Color Looking Less Likely This Year

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Apple's usual strategy of introducing a new mid-cycle iPhone color in the spring is unlikely to be replicated for the iPhone 15 this year, if a new rumor out of Asia is anything to go by.

iPhone-14-Yellow-Feature-2.jpg

Apple usually introduces new ‌iPhone‌ color options in the spring to boost sales midway through the device's product cycle, keeping the device top-of-mind for consumers at a time when the next iPhone launch is still another six months away.

Apple has used the tactic frequently in recent years. In 2017 and 2018, it released red mid-cycle versions of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 lines, respectively. Then in 2021, Apple added a purple color to the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini models for the spring season in late April.

In March 2022, the iPhone 13 lineup received new green finishes, and in the same month last year, Apple released the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus in a new yellow color. Each new color launch has been accompanied by a significant ad campaign to attract new customers and upgraders who did not make a purchase when the latest iPhone series was originally launched in the fall. This year could be different, however.

According to Chinese Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital, there is no new spring color scheme on the cards for the iPhone 15. It's also worth noting that Apple has already launched several iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands in refreshed color options. The refreshed accessories arrived when Apple released the new MacBook Air in early March. In previous years, such a move has often been accompanied by a new iPhone color.

Why Apple would forego the opportunity to boost sales in the middle of an iPhone cycle is not entirely clear, so it is worth taking the latest rumor with a pinch of salt for now. Production delays have reportedly pushed the release of new iPads into May, and Apple is not expected to hold a launch event to announce the devices, but the debut of a new iPhone color could always come separately in the form of a press release, which Apple has opted for in the past.

Article Link: New Mid-Cycle iPhone 15 Color Looking Less Likely This Year
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/04/10/iphone-15-new-spring-color-unlikely/
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I think it is a waste and perhaps those yellow 14s did not sell so well either? IMO, Apple were smarter selling it in black and white at the beginning, thus reducing both the production costs and unsold stock numbers.
 
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I was hoping for a green Pro this spring. I'm sitting on my 12 Pro Max, and I will be holding on to it until it dies, or when there's a new Pro in green. Don't mind if it's a spring refresh or launch color
 
Why this bizarre phrasing which, in numerous minor variations, is widespread, "increasingly unlikely"? Making the adverb (more or less positive) clash with the adjective (more or less negative). Why not "decreasingly likely"? Or, and I'm sure this is far too simple, "less likely"?

Time was, headline writers were desperately trying to shorten and simplify, not lengthen and mangle.
 
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Pointless, expensive and wasteful marketing ploy. I don’t see how these mid-cycle additions help.

I only upgrade every 2-3 years as it is, and I’ve only ever bought a black iPhone… what would releasing a yellow iPhone now do for me? I’m waiting until September to *think* about upgrading my 14 Pro to a 16 Pro, and that’s only a maybe at this point.
 
blcamp said:
Pointless, expensive and wasteful marketing ploy. I don’t see how these mid-cycle additions help.

I only upgrade every 2-3 years as it is, and I’ve only ever bought a black iPhone… what would releasing a yellow iPhone now do for me? I’m waiting until September to *think* about upgrading my 14 Pro to a 16 Pro, and that’s only a maybe at this point.
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I think they develop the new colours at the same time as the originals and just hold them back for mid-year and presumably the reason they kept doing it was that they did see a bump in sales (so not wasteful) at the mid year point when all the early adoption and holiday sales peaks had passed.

As for your question, releasing a yellow colour phone would do nothing for you. But it might do quite a lot for people who want a yellow phone ;)
 
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polyphenol said:
Why this bizarre phrasing which, in numerous minor variations, is widespread, "increasingly unlikely"? Making the adverb (more or less positive) clash with the adjective (more or less negative). Why not "decreasingly likely"? Or, and I'm sure this is far too simple, "less likely"?

Time was, headline writers were desperately trying to shorten and simplify, not lengthen and mangle.
Click to expand...

New Mid-Cycle iPhone 15 Color Looking Decreasingly Likely This Year​


Better?

​

 
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one more said:
I think it is a waste and perhaps those yellow 14s did not sell so well either? IMO, Apple were smarter selling it in black and white at the beginning, thus reducing both the production costs and unsold stock numbers.
Click to expand...
While I personally only buy white, the yearly changing colors probably do incentivize enough new purchases (and de-incentivize opting for a colorful Android phone) to be worth it.
 
HazeAndHahmahneez said:
Yes and as someone said. Please bring back forest green!!!!…
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They should really just make the color switchable in Settings, like the Color Filters setting. Or allow setting a custom wallpaper. I wonder why they don’t seem to be working on that.
 
Dribo said:
I was hoping for a green Pro this spring. I'm sitting on my 12 Pro Max, and I will be holding on to it until it dies, or when there's a new Pro in green. Don't mind if it's a spring refresh or launch color
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You mean the 11 pro? Or 13 pro? 12 pro never had a green option…
 
polyphenol said:
Why this bizarre phrasing which, in numerous minor variations, is widespread, "increasingly unlikely"? Making the adverb (more or less positive) clash with the adjective (more or less negative). Why not "decreasingly likely"? Or, and I'm sure this is far too simple, "less likely"?

Time was, headline writers were desperately trying to shorten and simplify, not lengthen and mangle.
Click to expand...
Concision not cool now.
 
I’ve never liked this since they withheld the best color of my 13 Pro until Spring. It’s not a big deal but it is mildly annoying. And apparently it’s not working as a sales strategy anymore.
 
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kiranmk2 said:
I think they develop the new colours at the same time as the originals and just hold them back for mid-year and presumably the reason they kept doing it was that they did see a bump in sales (so not wasteful) at the mid year point when all the early adoption and holiday sales peaks had passed.

As for your question, releasing a yellow colour phone would do nothing for you. But it might do quite a lot for people who want a yellow phone ;)
Click to expand...
I think this mid-cycle new color strategy worked very well for iPhone 12 as the purple hit a trend that was already happening.

I definitely remember seeing both 12 and 12 mini in purple everywhere I went. It was really popular. Notably, there was no mid-cycle color addition for 12 Pro.

Then Apple tried the green with iPhones 13 and 13 Pro in "alpine green".

Then we got the 14 in yellow but no mid-cycle color for 14 Pro. With nothing for the 14 Pro, I have to assume that only the green 13 met targets and "alpine green" 13 Pro missed.

Now that we're probably getting no mid-cycle colors, the yellow iPhones 14 both missed targets and Apple has now completely given up on reliving the success it had with the purple iPhones 12 and 12 mini.
 
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