Apple Considers Purple and Green for iPhone 17 Base Model Amid Minor Hardware Upgrades

Apple is reportedly testing new Purple and Green color options for the upcoming iPhone 17 base model, according to leaker Majin Bu. However, only one of these colors—most likely Purple—may actually be released. The iPhone 16 base model currently comes in Ultramarine, Teal, Pink, White, and Black. Majin Bu, who has a mixed track record for Apple leaks, previously made accurate predictions about iPadOS 26 but missed on others regarding iOS 26.

Beyond color changes, the iPhone 17 base model is expected to receive only modest hardware updates. Analyst Jeff Pu from GF Securities notes that it will use the same A18 chip as the iPhone 16, manufactured with TSMC’s N3E 3nm process, and will maintain 8GB of RAM. The overall design is anticipated to remain largely unchanged.

Rumored new features for the iPhone 17 include a 120Hz display and a 24-megapixel front camera, both improvements over the 60Hz display and 12-megapixel front camera found on the iPhone 16. The screen size is also expected to increase slightly to 6.3 inches, up from 6.1 inches on the iPhone 16. Apple is projected to announce the full iPhone 17 lineup in September. These updates suggest Apple is focusing on incremental improvements and fresh color choices to maintain consumer interest in its flagship smartphone.