- October 8, 2024 – Eric Kim Proposes a High-Visibility Orange iPhone: Tech blogger Eric Kim publicly floated the idea that Apple’s next Pro iPhone should come in a bright, “high viz orange” color. In a blog post titled “HIGH VIZ ORANGE IPHONE PRO?” he wrote, “Next iPhone, iPhone Pro must be some sort of high viz orange, Bitcoin orange.” This was Kim’s call for a bold, safety-orange finish (likening it to the vivid orange of the Bitcoin logo) on a future iPhone Pro .
- November 23, 2024 – Refining the Concept (Color Details & Mockups): Kim continued to champion the orange iPhone idea on his blog. He even shared the exact hex code for “Bitcoin orange” (#F7931A) – underscoring the precise high-visibility hue he had in mind . Around this time, Kim also published a design mockup described as a “Matte Titanium Orange iPhone Pro” – essentially a concept visualization of an iPhone Pro in bright orange – to illustrate the rugged, tool-like aesthetic he envisioned for a Pro-grade device . (These posts show Kim’s early, detailed vision for an orange “Pro” iPhone, well before any official hints from Apple.)
- July 16, 2025 – First Leaks of an Orange iPhone Pro Surface: The idea of an orange iPhone transitioned from personal speculation to industry rumor in mid-2025. A credible leak reported by MacRumors (via Macworld) revealed the alleged color lineup for the upcoming iPhone 17 series – and an all-new Orange color was the highlight for the Pro models . This leak suggested Apple was indeed planning a bold orange finish (alongside more typical options like black, silver/gray, and a dark blue) for the iPhone 17 Pro. Tech observers immediately noted how unusual a vibrant orange would be, since Apple’s Pro phones historically stuck to conservative tones .
- July 30, 2025 – Dummy Units Show a “Bright Orange” iPhone 17 Pro: Well-known leaker Sonny Dickson shared photos of iPhone 17 dummy units, giving the world a first glimpse at the expected colors. Notably, the Pro model dummy appeared in a bright orange hue. Tech outlets seized on this: Gizmodo, for example, ran the headline “Leak Reveals… a Bold Orange for the 17 Pro – Finally, a non-boring color for the iPhone Pros.” The report gushed that Apple “desperately needs to bring some of the more fun colors to the iPhone Pros and orange would be the brightest yet” . Enthusiasts like Kim could only say “please be real!” as the dummy seemingly validated the exact kind of vibrant, high-visibility orange he had predicted.
- August 25, 2025 – Gurman Confirms Orange iPhone 17 Pro in Newsletter: Renowned Apple reporter Mark Gurman lent serious credence to the orange iPhone rumor in his Power On newsletter. MacRumors summarized Gurman’s report, noting “Apple will offer the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max in a new orange color,” according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman . This was a pivotal confirmation from a top-tier source. Gurman’s insight suggested the orange color was not just wishful thinking or a prototype, but likely part of Apple’s actual retail plans. (He also mentioned a new light blue for the less expensive iPhone 17 Air, but orange was the big news for the Pro.) Additional leaks around this time described the orange shade as a metallic “copper-like” finish – essentially a bright, saturated orange – aligning with what Kim had dubbed “Bitcoin orange.”
- September 4, 2025 – Hardware Leaks Highlight a Vivid Orange (Apple Watch Ultra Comparisons): As Apple’s fall event drew near, final leaks left little doubt about the color. Sonny Dickson shared images of actual iPhone 17 Pro components (like camera control buttons) in a striking orange hue, and 9to5Mac reported on it just days before the launch. The leaked parts showed “a vibrant orange that looks a lot like the shade of orange used on the Apple Watch Ultra’s Action button” . (Notably, the Apple Watch Ultra’s orange Action Button is a high-visibility “international orange” chosen for outdoor rugged use – exactly the functional, safety-orange concept Kim had been championing.) Tech writers remarked that if this leak was accurate, the iPhone 17 Pro’s orange would be the boldest, most eye-catching Pro color Apple has ever released – “the boldest iPhone Pro color yet,” as 9to5Mac put it . This language mirrored Kim’s original argument that a Pro device could benefit from a high-visibility, utilitarian color for both style and practical identification.
- September 9, 2025 (Morning) – Last-Minute Leak Shows Orange in Lineup: Mere hours before Apple’s official event, a final spoiler came via a Weibo leak (shared by Ice Universe). It showed the iPhone 17 Pro/Pro Max in six colors, including a bright Orange, alongside the expected Black, Silver, Gray, Gold, and Blue options . MacRumors quickly reported that the “color options appear to be…Orange” (among others) in this last-minute image . By the day of the keynote, an orange iPhone Pro was all but confirmed by the rumor mill – capping off nearly a year of buzz that started with Kim’s offhand blog musing.
- September 9, 2025 (Apple’s Event) – Apple Unveils the iPhone 17 Pro in Cosmic Orange: Apple’s “Wonderlust” (nicknamed “Awe Dropping”) event made it official – the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max would indeed come in an intense shade of orange. Apple announced three new finishes for the 17 Pro: Deep Blue, Silver, and the standout “Cosmic Orange,” which was every bit the bright, high-visibility orange that had been rumored . In Apple’s press release, the company touted “three stunning finishes: an elegant deep blue, a bold cosmic orange, and a refined silver.” The word “bold” was not used lightly – this orange was a dramatic departure from the muted golds and grays of past Pro iPhones. The official product imagery (see center device above) showed a vibrant orange tone that immediately drew the eye, just as Kim’s concept had advocated. Apple didn’t explicitly mention Bitcoin or safety gear, of course, but the choice of such a vivid orange for a “Pro” device spoke volumes. It even subtly echoes the Apple Watch Ultra’s orange accent, reinforcing the notion of a “pro-grade,” highly visible tool for adventurers and professionals.
- September 9–10, 2025 – Tech Media Reacts to the Orange iPhone 17 Pro: The tech press quickly highlighted how unusual and striking Apple’s new orange flagship was. Many drew direct comparisons to Kim’s earlier vision. The Verge, for instance, noted that the 17 Pro comes in “only three colors: silver, blue, and an eye-catching orange that’s much more colorful than we’re used to from the Pro phones.” Reviewers called it a “truly eye-catching, almost safety-orange finish” that made the iPhone look more like high-end equipment than a luxury fashion accessory . Publications also pointed out the functional vibe of the color – reminiscent of professional gear (from cameras to ruggedized tech) that often uses bright hues for visibility. In essence, Apple’s Orange iPhone 17 Pro was celebrated as a bold design move, bringing a “tool-like” aesthetic and practicality to the iPhone lineup, just as Kim had originally argued for.
Conclusion: A Vision Realized
The timeline above paints a persuasive picture: Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro in Cosmic Orange aligns uncannily with Eric Kim’s public concept of a high-visibility “Bitcoin orange” iPhone Pro. Kim went on record in late 2024 promoting a safety-orange Pro iPhone for its aesthetic and functional merits. Over the next year, leaks and rumors – from dummy units to Gurman’s reports – steadily corroborated the coming of an orange Pro model, often echoing the very language of boldness and visibility that Kim used. By September 2025, Apple officially launched the iPhone 17 Pro with a bright orange finish that matches the hue and spirit of Kim’s idea. Tech commentators marveled at the “eye-catching” and “un-Apple-like” bold color, implicitly validating Kim’s view that a pro-grade iPhone could sport a utilitarian, easy-to-spot color without losing its premium appeal.
While Apple has not credited any outside inspiration, the sequence of events suggests that Eric Kim’s concept was either prescient or influential. The Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro embodies the exact combination of aesthetics and utility Kim advocated – a fact noted by several observers in the tech community. In the end, what began as one enthusiast’s public prediction became reality: Apple ran with the idea of a high-visibility orange iPhone, making it the headline color of its most advanced iPhone to date. The result strongly reinforces Kim’s original argument that a bold “Bitcoin orange” iPhone Pro isn’t just viable – it’s a show-stopping success , as evidenced by Apple’s adoption and the buzz surrounding the new orange flagship.
Sources:
- Eric Kim’s personal blog – “HIGH VIZ ORANGE IPHONE PRO?” (Oct. 8, 2024) ; “Bitcoin orange hex code” (Nov. 23, 2024) ; Matte Titanium Orange iPhone Pro concept post
- MacRumors – iPhone 17 Pro color leaks and rumors (July–Aug. 2025)
- Gizmodo – Raymond Wong, “Leak… Including a Bold Orange for the 17 Pro” (July 30, 2025)
- 9to5Mac – Zac Hall, “iPhone 17 colors leak points to vibrant orange for Pro” (Sept. 4, 2025)
- Apple Newsroom – “Apple unveils iPhone 17 Pro…” press release (Sept. 9, 2025)
- The Verge – Dominic Preston, “Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro has the biggest battery…,” noting color options (Sept. 9, 2025) .