It doesn’t happen often, but Apple’s vaunted reality distortion field snared me today…almost. Because, wow, that purple iPhone 12 looks good.
My heart skipped a beat when Tim Cook introduced the purple iPhone. Even though I’d never buy a Mac, I’ve been a devoted iPhone user for over half a decade now, and purple has always been my favorite color. (It’s the color of kings, y’all.) The Apple sizzle reel even played with “Candy Man” crooning in the background, and let me tell you, I love me some sweets. This iPhone was made for me my brain whispered, already eyeing its April 30 launch date.
But then I came to my senses.
I don’t truly care about how my actual phone looks anymore. Color hasn’t affected my purchasing decision in years at this point. Yes, I plan to keep using iPhones, but the purple iPhone is meaningless in a world where every iPhone is in a case.
That might not be true if you rely on transparent cases. And I know some of you absolute maniacs continue to tote around your phones without any case. But as a person who has already smashed two high-end phones and spent hundreds to repair them—on top of insurance costs, natch—my iPhone will remain firmly ensconced in a protective full-coverage case, and from what I see while wandering the streets, the same holds true for many (most?) people.
So, yes, that purple iPhone sure does look cool. It’s designed to turn heads. But a purple iPhone won’t catch anyone’s eye if they can’t see it in your case anyway. There’s no reason to rush to upgrade just because you dig the new hue.
That newly announced purple M1 iMac on the other hand…now that’s tempting. Going with vibrant colors makes a lot more sense for something you’ll see on your desk everyday. You know, if you’re into Macs.