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Apple raised a few eyebrows when it introduced the Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro earlier this year. It’s a hard-to-miss color, and it certainly makes an impression. At least one Redditor, however, claims his orange iPhone 17 Pro is no longer orange—it’s now pink.
Just after launch, Apple fended off a potential scandal about the scratch resistance of the iPhone 17 Pro’s finish. Is this a new iPhone 17 Pro scandal brewing? Do we have to worry about our iPhone 17s fading from one color to another? Likely not.
Here’s what is most likely behind it all.
Orange You Glad You Read This
Apple actually sells a pink iPhone. The iPhone 16 comes in a bright pink color that is popular with some. There were several other pink iPhones before that one.
The Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro, however, is not supposed to be pink. But this one is.
A recent Reddit post shows a Cosmic Orange iPhone that changed from orange to pink. The glass insert on the rear remains as orange as ever, but most of the aluminum frame is now a rose gold hue. It’s not the worst color ever, but it’s not what the original poster paid for.
Many of the comments suggest the image was faked or Photoshopped. Some suggest the owner touched it with something, while others suggest he sell it on eBay for a premium, given its unique appearance.
Apple Insider, among many to report the story, believes that oxidation or a potential problem with Apple’s anodization process could be the likely cause. Turns out it was on the right track.
Cleanliness Is Next to Appliness
Peroxide-based cleaning liquids can affect anodized aluminum. Exposing anodized aluminum to peroxide could result in discoloration of the finish.
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Apple clearly says, “Don’t use products containing bleach or hydrogen peroxide” to clean your iPhone on its iPhone support pages. There’s always the potential that cleaning products, especially those that contain abrasive materials, can harm or scratch the phone’s finish.
If you need to disinfect your iPhone, Apple notes you can wipe the exterior “using a 70% isopropyl alcohol wipe, 75% ethyl alcohol wipe, or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes.” Whatever you do, “don’t use aerosol sprays, bleaches, or abrasives” to clean your iPhone.
In this case, it’s probable that the original poster used such a cleaner to wipe down his iPhone and forgot about it. Or handled such a cleaner and then used his iPhone. The result? A Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro, now available in Nebula Pink.
I wonder how the Deep Blue iPhone 17 Pro would look after cleaning it with peroxide. Would it turn Pulsar Purple? Please, let’s not find out. Use only Apple-approved methods and materials to clean your very expensive iPhone.
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About Our Expert
Eric Zeman
Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics
Experience
I’m PCMag’s managing editor for consumer electronics content, overseeing an experienced team of reviewers and product testers. I’ve been covering technology for about 25 years. Prior to PCMag, I worked at outlets such as Android Authority, Fortune, InformationWeek, and Phonescoop.
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