The yellow iPhone 14 is dividing people but I know where I stand
I’m a little disappointed Apple didn’t name the yellow it splashed on its iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. It’s just a yellow or yellow iPhone 14. At least the really deep blue got “Midnight,” but Apple clearly had no interest in something like “Banana Yellow,” “Sunflower Yellow,” or “Merengue Yellow.”
Look, it’s not just me. After I unpacked the glossy yellow handset and showed it to colleagues and colleagues, more than one asked for its name. They, too, were sad that Apple didn’t go the Samsung route, calling it “Lemon Yellow,” for example, as Samsung’s “Bora Purple,” which translated from Korean means “Purple Purple.”
The new color variant, which brings the total of iPhone 14 color options to six, was unveiled Tuesday (March 7) without fanfare. It brings a glossy yellow back, polished yellow-toned metal band, and new pale yellow wallpaper to the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. They will go on pre-order on March 10, 2023 and will ship on March 14.
Other than the cheery new finish, there’s nothing different about this iPhone 14 (the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max don’t get the new hue). there’s the same dual 12MP rear camera system and front-facing 12MP TrueDepth camera; the same 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display; and the same last generation A15 Bionic CPU. It’s just as good an iPhone now as it was when I tested it in a different color.
My opinion
When I was in kindergarten, the teacher asked all of us our favorite color. Panicked, and not having thought about this question once in my five years, I blurted out “yellow”. Before long I had yellow shirts, hats and a yellow place mat with my name on it. The color has stayed with me for decades. Even now, if you asked me my favorite color, I’d say “yellow,” while secretly I still have no idea.
As I stare at this beautiful and rather cheerful 6.1-inch smartphone, I am once again faced with the issue of color preference. This is a beautiful smartphone. As always, Apple places the color under the glass of the back panel and basically integrates it into the metal band around the phone. This enhances the premium look and feel. But how should I feeling about the color?
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Unlike the purple iPhone 14 or my Space Black iPhone 14 Pro, the yellow iPhone 14 almost yells, “Look at me!” There’s no way to hide this handset when you take it out of your pocket. And don’t think the yellow MagSafe case will save your looks. It’s an even brighter shade of yellow.
As for the new yellow themed wallpaper, launching soon in an iOS update, it’s the image of subtlety. You may not even realize it has a yellow tint.
I took the phone outside and held it in front of a yellow truck, a yellow bus, and a yellow cab in New York City. Guess? None of those things are really yellow. They are all different shades of orange. The yellow iPhone really is yellow, my friends.
After getting fed up with the Yellow Submarine iPhone experience, I started asking for more third-party input.
Yellow phone Comments
I just held up the yellow iPhone 14 in front of people and waited for responses. It never lasted long. Yellow punches you in the face. Most people I spoke to seemed pleased, or at least intrigued, by the new DayGlo finish.
One man pointed out that yellow is coded as “neither male nor female”, which is a pretty astute observation. This is a spring color (if you live in the northern hemisphere) that can appeal to everyone. Maybe Apple releases it now and in this color to boost iPhone sales (I have no information they are slow at all) with a shade that everyone can wear.
Here’s something I hadn’t thought of: changing tastes. I recently redecorated my kitchen and instead of muted tones, we went for bold, deep blue cabinets. It’s beautiful. I don’t think we would have considered yellow, but we probably aren’t That trendy.
I also think Michelle nailed it on the color: Frozen mango sorbet.
Okay, John’s problems seem to go beyond the yellow, but I’ve heard this sentiment elsewhere. Yellow isn’t groundbreaking and, as others have noted, we’d be more excited if Apple linked this announcement with the introduction of yellow AirPods.
Instead, Apple seems to want credit for introducing a yellow iPhone 14 as if it were some kind of innovation. It’s not, obviously.
A rather unscientific Twitter poll seemed more in line with John’s sentiment, with most people saying they didn’t like it very much. On the bright yellow side, more than a third said they loved it.
John’s frustration was an outlier among the insta responses I received. Most people seemed enchanted by the new color or at least wanted to admit that it will be noticed.
I wonder who feels torn between buying the yellow iPhone 14 they want and a powerful iPhone 14 Pro, which is not available in yellow.
However, Michelle responded with the idea that “ordinary people” (that is, people who haven’t dedicated their lives to nerds) will probably prefer this yellow iPhone 14 over an iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.
Maybe.
At the very least, I have to agree with a colleague who told me that when you take it out of your pocket, “people are going to say ‘wow’.”