A new cadre of iPhones have arrived, with the standard new iPhone 14 being joined by iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max variants. Like a troupe of aloof cool kids, they’re pristine, taciturn and alluring, leaving the rest of us to whisper and gossip about what they might do next.
And these latest iPhones do come with some dazzling new features and technical upgrades worth talking about. First, the new phones boast improved cameras, equipped with a new “photonic engine” that promises to improve low-light photography, as well as Action Mode, which allows users to maximise stabilisation so as to capture motion more fluidly. The new phones also have new designs, a new chipset, an extra GPU core, improved car-crash detection, an always-on display, and a new alert and control system called Dynamic island.
And all that’s fine, we love new features, sure. But what about the colours? That’s why you’re here, isn’t it? Let’s get to it.
A more subtle, refined blue than the iPhone 13 offering, which featured a deeper version of the shade. This sky blue iPhone 14 came back from the summer break with a new whole vibe – now Blue wears a beret, quotes Beckett in the original and barely speaks above a whisper.
The new kid on the block this year is purple, and being new, this purple seems a little bit shy. Unlike the more intense shade featured on the iPhone 12 back in the day, this hue is happy just to hint at purple, to simply suggest it. “Purple? Haha, that’s just an old nickname, but I mean, you can call me that if you’d like,” they’ve been overheard saying.
Midnight gets it – it was never just a phase. Midnight kept the back-combed, puffy fringe, still has the fishnet arm-warmers, the snakebite piercing, the thick strokes of eyeliner. Midnight’s Spotify Wrapped doesn’t have any Ariana Grande or Ed Sheeran, every year it’s still My Chemical Romance, Paramore and Jimmy Eat World. Midnight has just one plan: make it 2004 again through science or magic. You in?
In stark contrast, Starlight, Apple’s take on off-white, absolutely does have Ariana Grande high up on that Spotify Wrapped. Popular, ebullient and frighteningly self-possessed, Starlight shamelessly loves Instagram, Pumpkin Spice and to live, laugh, love. You’re probably assuming Starlight and Midnight are mortal enemies, right? Wrong, they’re besties. If you didn’t see that coming, maybe you’re too quick to judge based on superficialities… just saying.
A pretty intense name for a pretty intense colour. No one quite knows what PRODUCT(RED)’s deal is, outside of being intense. One time Purple asked them where the bathroom was and all they said back was “Where do YOU think the bathroom is?”
If you’ve ever flipped over to the cool side of the pillow, you’ll know what it’s like to check out the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max colours. These colours are cool, sure, but grown-up cool, they don’t make anyone nervous or self-conscious, they’re the kind of cool that puts people at ease. Let’s check them out.
iPhone 14 Pro Deep Purple
A richer, more plum-coloured purple than its junior counterpart, Deep Purple is a lot like regular Purple, except they say things like: “What if we remembered what it was like to be babies, do you think we’d all be kinder to each other?” Woah, deep.
A cool, calm shade of silver, this phone knows not everyone needs to be loud and flashy. This silver fox enjoys a rich cup of espresso, the feel of 240gsm coated paper, the hiss and crackle from a record you found in the attic. Ask Silver, and they’ll tell you life begins at 40.
The Pro Gold is textbook subtle opulence, a muted shade that suggests trendier rose gold but stays very much true to its name. And sticking to its guns, Gold is doing well, very well in fact. Some stock market stuff just came through in a big way. But you’d never be able to tell, they keep their cards close to their chest. I heard they still wear the same old jumper and buy their tinned tomatoes on 2-for-1.
More matte and less subtly blue than Midnight, on the surface, Space Black has things more together. A $2,000 suit, AirPods in each ear, black coffee in hand, strolling the financial district, anyone could see they’ve got it all figured out. Right? But if you got close enough, you’d see it was Misery Business they were listening to, you’d see Tumblr in their home dock. That’s right, because it was never just a phase.
A Staff Writer at Expert Reviews, Jamie has been with the website since 2022, having started as an Editorial Intern. Pairing writing skills honed while obtaining degrees in English Literature and Creative Writing with his interest in home cooking, Jamie covers kitchen appliances, food and drink and more.
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