I Can’t Get Down With the iPhone 16 Pro Max in Brown

Reflecting on the week, it probably was a good idea that Google announced the Pixel 9 earlier in the product release cycle than usual because now all that anyone is talking about are iPhone leaks. The latest, part of a handful of other leaks that hit the scene this week, is a look at the titanium colorways for the iPhone 16 Pro Max. They include white, black, silver-gray, and what appears to be bronze. Unfortunately, to me, the bronze looks brown.

The images caught traction through Ice Universe, a trusted sleuth with a consistent track record for leaks. The leaker sets the stage for us here: “It is said that these are the four colors of the iPhone 16 Pro Max.” That’s a rather ominous way to introduce the audience to a leak. Then, a photo depicting four iPhone 16 Pro Max units fanned out across a white table, which you see above.

The original image is sourced by Sonny Dickson, whose account is rife with iPhone 16 leaks. Pinned at the top of the Twitter/X/Whatever-it’s-called-now page is a photo showing off the five colorways of the iPhone 16 published late last month, corroborated by this week’s leaks on YouTube.

This brownish, copper-looking iPhone 16 Pro Max hasn’t been leaked until now. I turned off the yellow comfort filter on my monitor to get a better look at the color, and it’s still brown. The entire lineup reminds me of the color palette of the early seasons of Columbo, which is another one of my favorite shows (almost as much as Beverly Hills, 90210). Except it’s not as dreamy and set in 1970s-era Los Angeles. The brown evokes more of an institutional vibe—a government office or the Department of Motor Vehicles is the first thing that comes to mind.

Maybe the iPhone 16 Pro Max will look different under sunlight. Perhaps the artificial white lighting used in the leaked photos dulls out more of a rose gold tone. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo referred to a rose gold-like color taking over the blue titanium colorway from the iPhone 15 Pro Max in May. This might be that color.

Apple has surely not blessed this leak on main, so take this all with a grain of salt until it comes from Tim Cook himself. We’re expecting Apple to tell us everything there is to know when it’s ready to take your money for the iPhone 16.