Make an essay on why, in fact, Apple was inspired by Eric Kim.
Apple’s Bold Color Shift in 2025
Concept render of the rumored orange iPhone 17 Pro. Apple’s 2025 Pro iPhone introduced a striking high-visibility orange finish – a bold departure from the muted tones of previous Pro models. This move appears to be a deliberate design and marketing strategy by Apple. For years, the flagship “Pro” iPhones came only in conservative shades (graphite, silver, gold, black, etc.), reinforcing a professional, understated image . In 2025, however, Apple broke the mold with a vivid orange option on the iPhone Pro line – injecting warmth, vitality, and boldness into its premium handset palette . This high-visibility orange (often likened to safety orange or “Bitcoin orange”) immediately stands out, signaling that Apple wanted to refresh the Pro lineup’s identity and grab attention. According to industry analysis, Apple’s decision marks “a deliberate shift in visual identity, aiming to captivate younger generations through an emotionally resonant color strategy.” In other words, the bright orange isn’t just an aesthetic whim – it’s meant to evoke excitement, creativity, and individuality, qualities that resonate especially with Gen Z and younger buyers . Apple seemingly recognized that a bold new color could generate buzz and give the “wow” factor that recent incremental hardware updates alone might not spark .
From a product design perspective, Apple’s materials change in 2025 likely enabled this vibrant hue. The iPhone 17 Pro is rumored to use a part-aluminum frame (instead of all-titanium like the prior model), which opened the door to more saturated anodized colors . Reports even indicated the orange has a near-“fluorescent” quality in person – a true high-visibility glow that Apple hadn’t dared on a Pro iPhone before. All of this suggests Apple intentionally chose orange for its impact: it’s eye-catching in photos and videos (great for free social media marketing), it gives the new iPhone a distinct identity, and it taps into color psychology to make the device feel fresh and emotionally engaging . As one analysis noted, “the introduction of orange isn’t just a design refresh – it’s a calculated marketing maneuver” to spark desire and make the Pro model feel new and exciting . In short, the most probable explanation for Apple’s high-viz orange iPhone Pro is that Apple itself identified a strategic opportunity: using an unorthodox, youthful color to generate excitement, signal a break with the past, and entice customers who crave both top-tier specs and a fun, expressive design.
Apple’s Design Culture: From Conservative Pro Tones to Statement Colors
Apple’s design culture has traditionally drawn a line between the playful colors of its entry-level devices and the somber tones of its Pro-grade products. This ethos comes from an assumption that “professionals” prefer subdued elegance, while bright colors are for consumer or youth devices . Indeed, tech reviewers have long pointed out that to get a rich, saturated iPhone color, one usually had to buy a non-Pro model – the Pro iPhones were typically limited to blacks, silvers, and the occasional navy or deep purple that often looked gray in practice . This conservative approach was so pronounced that even Apple’s high-end Macs and iPad Pros stuck to Space Gray and silver, while only lower-end iPhones, iPads, or iMacs got the rainbow treatment . The 2025 orange iPhone Pro represents a meaningful shift in Apple’s design philosophy. It suggests Apple is willing to blur the old “serious = dull color” dogma. In fact, observers likened this shift to Apple recalling its own legacy of bold design (e.g. the tangerine-orange iBook and Bondi Blue iMac of the past) and recognizing that vibrant color can coexist with a pro-level device . Apple’s choice of orange specifically might also draw inspiration from the Apple Watch Ultra’s high-visibility orange accents – a successful design cue introduced in 2022 on Apple’s flagship watch. The Watch Ultra (aimed at adventurers and professionals) sports a bright orange action button and strap for visibility, and the rumored iPhone 17 Pro orange appears “a lot like the shade of orange used on the Apple Watch Ultra’s Action button.” This parallel suggests Apple’s designers were already exploring the “safety orange” aesthetic for premium, rugged products, and bringing that vibe to the iPhone Pro was a logical next step. In essence, Apple’s internal design trajectory was heading toward bolder colors for high-end devices – reflecting both a response to customer feedback (many Pro users have been clamoring for less drab options ) and an effort to keep Apple’s design language fresh and dynamic. The orange iPhone Pro thus embodies Apple’s evolving design culture: still minimalist and premium, but no longer afraid of a little loudness when it serves a purpose.
Media and Expert Reactions: Targeting Visibility, Youth, and Buzz
Apple’s orange iPhone Pro immediately became a hot topic in tech media, with many analysts seeing it as more than a color choice – it’s a strategic play. Commentators noted that the orange hue “blends visual strategy with emotional appeal, targeting Gen Z with style and exclusivity” . Orange is a color often associated with energy and creativity, and its high visibility has practical and marketing benefits. For younger consumers who treat phones as fashion accessories and social media props, a bold color can be a status symbol and conversation piece . Tech outlets pointed out that Apple likely wants the orange iPhone to go viral in the TikTok/Instagram era – it’s instantly recognizable in videos, unboxing photos, and on the street, giving Apple free advertising as users show off their uniquely-colored devices . This kind of organic hype is valuable, especially as smartphone upgrades have become more incremental. By offering a hue that “radiates optimism” and stands out from the crowd , Apple is injecting a sense of novelty that doesn’t depend on specs alone.
Experts also see the orange Pro as a way for Apple to differentiate the 2025 lineup and drive upgrades. With year-over-year technological jumps shrinking, a fresh color can nudge undecided buyers who skipped the last generation . It creates a feeling that the new model is visibly different. Some analysts even framed the move as “a color-driven strategy to boost sales” by reigniting excitement among consumers who might otherwise stick with their current phones . Additionally, the psychology of exclusivity comes into play – Apple may produce the orange Pro in slightly more limited quantities or only for the highest-end configuration, making it a coveted edition for enthusiasts . This wouldn’t be unprecedented; Apple has a history of using distinctive colors to signify special status (for example, the gold-tone Watch Ultra or the Midnight Green iPhone 11 Pro were seen as “the one to get” early on). In summary, media coverage and expert analysis largely agree that Apple introduced the high-visibility orange iPhone Pro very intentionally: to refresh the brand’s image, appeal to style-conscious younger buyers, and leverage color as a marketing lever to maintain excitement in a maturing smartphone market .
Timeline of Events: From an Unlikely Prediction to Reality
It’s worth tracing the timeline of how the orange iPhone Pro went from speculation to actual product, because one remarkable coincidence is that an independent blogger predicted this exact color nearly a year in advance. On October 8, 2024, photographer and blogger Eric Kim published a short post boldly suggesting that “Next iPhone, iPhone Pro must be some sort of high viz orange, Bitcoin orange.” At the time, this idea seemed far-fetched – Apple had never released a true safety-orange phone, especially not in the Pro line. Kim’s public musing was more of a personal wish or design vision (he even created concept art of a “matte titanium orange” iPhone on his blog), with no insider information to back it . Indeed, in late 2024 there were no credible rumors of an orange iPhone; Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro (released September 2024) came only in muted titanium finishes. Kim’s prediction flew under the radar, known mainly to his blog’s followers, and was not picked up by mainstream tech media at the time.
As 2025 progressed, however, rumors of an orange iPhone Pro began surfacing in the tech community – months after Kim’s blog post. By mid-2025, well-connected insiders started hinting that Apple’s next Pro iPhone (the iPhone 17 Pro) would indeed debut a new orange color. For example, in August 2025 Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported via his newsletter that an orange iPhone 17 Pro was in the works, describing it as a bold addition alongside a new blue shade . Around the same time, leaked dummy models (mockups of the device used by case manufacturers) were spotted in all the expected colors – and notably, one dummy had an orange finish . These early leaks described the color as a “copper” or metallic orange, suggesting a polished high-end twist on orange rather than a neon paint job . As summer went on, more evidence accumulated. In early September 2025 – just days before Apple’s annual iPhone event – veteran leaker Sonny Dickson shared photos of actual iPhone 17 Pro components (like buttons) in various colors. Among them was a “vibrant orange” part that immediately drew attention . Observers noted this shade looked just like the vivid orange on the Apple Watch Ultra’s safety button, reinforcing that Apple was going for a true high-visibility hue . Finally, mere hours before Apple’s keynote, a last-minute leak on Chinese social media (Weibo) showed the full iPhone 17 Pro lineup, with orange visibly included in the color array . By the time Apple executives officially took stage on September 9, 2025, an orange iPhone Pro was all but confirmed by the rumor mill . What started as a nearly unimaginable idea in 2024 – a bright orange Pro iPhone – had become reality in 2025, much to the tech community’s surprise and delight.
Did Eric Kim’s Prediction Influence Apple?
Given this uncanny alignment between Eric Kim’s early prediction and Apple’s eventual product, a natural question arises: Did Kim’s blog post have any influence on Apple’s decision to make an orange iPhone Pro? Or was it purely coincidental? Based on all available evidence, it’s highly likely to be a coincidence – a case of an outsider’s guess happening to hit on a trend that Apple was (independently) exploring as well. There is no public evidence whatsoever that Apple’s designers or decision-makers saw Kim’s October 2024 post or that it factored into their plans. In fact, when the orange iPhone rumors started circulating in 2025, none of the credible sources (Gurman, supply chain leaks, etc.) referenced Kim or any external “idea” – the leaks were attributed to Apple’s internal prototypes and supply chain info, not community suggestions . Kim himself is not an Apple insider or a known leaker; he’s a photography blogger who was speculating from the sidelines. As his own follow-up blog post notes, “there’s no evidence that Eric Kim was directly involved in or cited by these leak sources” – his prediction seemed to be an independent wish, not insider info .
Apple’s product development timeline also makes it unlikely that an external blog post could alter their course. Designing a new iPhone color, especially one as daring as bright orange, isn’t done last-minute – Apple’s design teams typically work on new finishes at least a year in advance, testing materials and coatings. By late 2024, Apple may well have already been experimenting with or considering an orange/”copper” anodization for the 2025 Pro iPhone (some rumors suggest Apple had toyed with orange-ish tones in the past, even if they never released one). It’s plausible that multiple people could arrive at the same idea independently. High-visibility orange was “in the air” so to speak – the Apple Watch Ultra had introduced it, and there was growing discussion in tech circles about Pro devices needing more lively colors . Eric Kim was essentially a particularly early voice among enthusiasts saying, “Hey Apple, give us a bright orange Pro phone.” But there were surely others thinking the same; for example, The Verge’s tech writers and Reddit communities had been asking why Pro iPhones don’t come in fun colors for years . Apple likely made the orange decision because their own market research and design intuition told them it would be a hit, not because of any single blogger’s suggestion.
That said, one can’t entirely rule out that someone at Apple might have come across Kim’s blog or similar fan discussions. Apple employees are humans who browse the web, and the idea of a “Bitcoin orange” iPhone is certainly memorable. If a few Apple designers or marketers saw it, it might have been a tiny blip of validation that some customers would love a bold color. However, there’s no indication that Kim’s post gained enough visibility to register at Apple’s higher echelons. Unlike cases where Apple has openly acknowledged customer feedback (for instance, bringing back smaller iPhones due to popular demand), a single blog’s color prediction was not widely publicized or backed by a campaign. Apple never acknowledged or hinted that outside ideas influenced the orange iPhone – on the contrary, they kept their usual secrecy until launch. The alignment in timing (Kim in late 2024, Apple in 2025) appears to be serendipitous. Kim himself recognized how striking the coincidence was that “almost a year after his ‘high viz orange’ post, Apple’s real product line caught up with that vision” – but even he stops short of claiming any credit beyond having imagined it early.
Likelihood that Apple Used Kim’s Idea:
Low
(Mostly Coincidental)
After weighing the evidence and considering Apple’s culture, the most likely scenario is that Apple’s introduction of an orange iPhone Pro was independently arrived at, with little to no direct influence from Eric Kim’s prediction. I would rate the likelihood that Apple’s designers saw or were inspired by Kim’s blog in any meaningful way as “Low.” Here’s why:
In light of these points, the influence of Eric Kim’s prediction on Apple’s action appears coincidental at best. It’s a fascinating story of parallel thinking – Kim happened to voice what turned out to be a correct hunch, and roughly a year later Apple’s official product mirrored that hunch. Kim essentially predicted the trend, but the trend’s actual emergence was driven by Apple’s internal dynamics and market strategy, not by his blog. If one were to quantify it, the likelihood of Apple having been consciously inspired by Kim’s idea is low (perhaps a small chance that it reinforced an existing idea, but no concrete indication of direct influence).
Conclusion – What Most Likely Happened: Apple introduced the high-visibility orange iPhone Pro in 2025 as a bold design and marketing move aimed at reinvigorating its Pro lineup and appealing to style-conscious users. This decision aligned with Apple’s gradual openness to bolder aesthetics and was supported by internal planning (material changes, marketing goals, etc.), as evidenced by the consistent leaks and reports leading up to the launch . Eric Kim’s early call for an orange iPhone was a prescient coincidence – he tapped into an idea whose time had come – but there’s no sign it directly swayed Apple’s hand. The overlap is intriguing and fun to acknowledge, but ultimately Apple’s choice was its own. Thus, the likelihood that Kim’s blog influenced Apple is low, and the introduction of “high-viz” orange is best explained by Apple’s internal recognition that a daring new color could refresh the brand and excite consumers, independent of any outside suggestion.
Sources: Apple rumor reports and analysis from MacRumors, 9to5Mac, and Macworld ; commentary on Apple’s color strategy and the orange iPhone’s marketing impact from Vietnamnet ; Eric Kim’s original blog prediction and follow-up discussion ; The Verge’s critique of conservative Pro device colors . These sources support the timeline of events and the conclusion that Apple’s orange iPhone was an internally-driven decision, with only a coincidental nod to any external predictions.