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iPhone X Why is iPhone colors so “lifeless” compared to other phones?

T

TinaBelcher

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 23, 2017
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Looking at the Samsung Galaxy and OnePlus 6, you can tell they reflect very diffferently. The light hits the colors beautifully and creates dimension. There’s a subtle shimmery glow to them, and creates a gradient of many hues within the same color. It’s like a Ferrari, especially the red OnePlus 6. It has a mix of bright red, dark red, orange red, cherry red. Every movement plays so well with the light and colors. The red iPhone just goes from light to dark, it’s like the glass is reflecting but the color isn’t. Even the aluminum red was better looking and had more dimension. Also, look at the iPhone “silver” and galaxy silver, can we agree that the iPhone is NOT silver but a dark white? Imagine a real silver back, that would be amazing. They won’t even produce a legit black phone, instead they give us “space grey”.

Does anyone know what different material they use? What makes the android phones colors alter and glow? I would hate for the gold iPhone X to be skin tone again on the back.
 
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TinaBelcher said:
Looking at the Samsung Galaxy and OnePlus 6, you can tell they reflect very diffferently. The light hits the colors beautifully and creates dimension. There’s a subtle shimmery glow to them, and creates a gradient of many hues within the same color. It’s like a Ferrari, especially the red OnePlus 6. It has a mix of bright red, dark red, orange red, cherry red. Every movement plays so well with the light and colors. The red iPhone just goes from light to dark, it’s like the glass is reflecting but the color isn’t. Even the aluminum red was better looking and had more dimension. Also, look at the iPhone “silver” and galaxy silver, can we agree that the iPhone is NOT silver but a dark white? Imagine a real silver back, that would be amazing. They won’t even produce a legit black phone, instead they give us “space grey”.

Does anyone know what different material they use? What makes the android phones colors alter and glow? I would hate for the gold iPhone X to be skin tone again on the back.
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I like the whiteish X I have. I didnt want a silver with the glass back honestly I dont think it would look as good as a white back with black front. I personally like the off black color too. The 7+ matte black was an awesome color. I dont really like the galaxy colors. Why do they have to be super flashy and bright?
 
Two things. Minimizing SKUs and matching other Apple products.

Too many products with minor differences is a nightmare for something so popular due to stocking and keeping it stocked for years for warranty purposes.

I’m sure they also learned a lot from the iPhone 5C and iPods to see what mostly sells. I even have a friend that got a pink 5C because everything else was sold out at the time, he didn’t want pink but also did give 2......

I haven’t looked at the newer galaxy phones personally but I have a feeling Samsung made the process easier for themselves by doing things in a manor Apple wasn’t willing to do (example buttons mute switch etc).

Another thing is Samsung is the largest electronic manufacturer on the planet and they are very aggressive for sales. You (or someone similar) for example are someone that might even switch because of color options.
 
Apple typically has more conservative colors than in your face. Really only product red is strong and all the other colors are subtle, like space gray. I personally like it as it is easy on the eyes.
 
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I really like some of Samsungs colours. I really dislike most of Apples eg 5C. However some of the iPod nano colours were lovely. Unfortunately from the leaks I’ve seen, the 6.1” rumoured colours look very similar to the murky 5C. Does this mean I’ll switch to Android, No.
 
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For me, I don’t care for any comical or vibrant colors, I always appreciated Apples more toned down version of gold, space gray and silver over the years. They look more sleek and professional to me, and I never was interested in colors when they offered iPhones in the 5C line up.
 
It's called multi-toned paints. Where they use multi colors mixed with a glitter like paint to shimmer when the light hits it. All cars have adopted this type of paint over the past 15 years. "Lifeless" is a personal opinion and I actually prefer the lack of shimmer. Personally I believe it looks cheap especially paired on a plastic surface. It's not lesser or greater, it's just a different manufacturing choice.
 
upandown said:
It's called multi-toned paints. Where they use multi colors mixed with a glitter like paint to shimmer when the light hits it. All cars have adopted this type of paint over the past 15 years. "Lifeless" is a personal opinion and I actually prefer the lack of shimmer. Personally I believe it looks cheap especially paired on a plastic surface. It's not lesser or greater, it's just a different manufacturing choice.
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Interesting. I had no idea. Makes sense why there’s so many undertones peaking through in the light.
 
I think of the white/silver 8/X as a concrete gray color more than anything. Definitely not white, definitely not silver, just really, really cloudy.
 
I find it a bit boring and lifeless, too @TinaBelcher. And I own the red iPhone 8 Plus and agree it could have used more punch to such a bold color.

I love my purple S9+ But the harsh fact is unless I use my Samsung case which does let me see the sides, I don't really get to enjoy the colors as much as I'd like. These phones are so fragile with all that glass. I have little choice but to use sturdy cases. Some of my cases are transparent but they still mute all those subtle aspects of the colors you're talking about.

I guess in my situation it might be more important what color the sides and buttons are. And even then, some cases cover those parts, too.

I do suppose Apple is smart to keep it down to just a few colors. They want us to buy into their ecosystem and that means matching phones to watches and even laptops and tablets and desktops. Like others said, its smart to keep it simple...and elegant. As much as I love my purple Samsung there's no way I'm wearing a purple aluminum watch.
 
fred98tj said:
What difference does color make really? The first thing that the vast moajority of people do with a new phone is slap a case on it so you can’t really see the color anyway.
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The Color is the initial choice somebody will choose over anything else when it comes to the model they want. But I agree with you, a very large majority of iPhone owners will use some form of case that will no longer exemplify what the color the iPhone is. Some want the most popular color, because it does help with resale later on, but I really don’t care what color iPhone I have, as I want the experience of the iPhone, the aesthetics are not a priority for me.
 
fred98tj said:
What difference does color make really? The first thing that the vast moajority of people do with a new phone is slap a case on it so you can’t really see the color anyway.
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Some of us don't use cases, but you acknowledge that by using the terms "vast majority" so I'll move on.

Color does matter to quite a few people. There's a reason that Black returned to the color palette with the iPhone 7/7+ and that was because Apple knew there were still customers out there who wanted black iPhones.

Now if color didn't matter at all then it wouldn't make any difference what color Apple made the iPhone. Yet, there has been black, Space Gray, white, Gold, Rose Gold and Silver.
 
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Considering how excellent the Apple leather cases are, who cares?

(people who don't use a case obviously. (I'm just plugging their cases, BTW :) )
 
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fred98tj said:
What difference does color make really? The first thing that the vast moajority of people do with a new phone is slap a case on it so you can’t really see the color anyway.
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This line pops up all too often...yet, I'd wager the people saying this still made a conscious color decision when they bought their phone, so...yea.
 
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For sure, people make a buying decision based on color and I acknowledge that, but why when most just slap a case on it and call it good. :p. Some people really get their undies all bunched up at new colors. :p. Just take this as a lighthearted comment people. Peace :)
 
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