Last year, a Reddit thread revealed that a user’s iPhone 17 Pro had shifted from its original vibrant Cosmic Orange hue to a bizarre pink shade. I was doubtful initially, but it really is true. In a previous version of this article, I assaulted my phone with different chemicals, yet scarcely anything appeared to alter. But when I held my phone up to a brand-new iPhone 17 Pro Max at this year’s MWC, the difference was obvious: mine had turned bright pink. Here’s what occurred and steps to safeguard yours. As PCMag’s Eric Zeman pointed out, discoloration may result from cleaning agents that damage a phone’s finish, with oxidation responsible for the shift from cosmic orange to hot pink. Yes, it might be a technical flaw, but honestly, I adore pink phones (like the pink Moto Razr V3), and the thought of a hot pink iPhone 17 Pro thrilled me. Pink is gaining popularity, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Whether it’s the “blush” MacBook Neo, the soft pink iPhone 17E, or the gorgeous pink Nothing 4A Pro (heck, I’ll even include my recent Leica Q3 43 customization), the gentle spring hue is popping up all over tech. So I put the theory to the test using different cleaning solutions. Note that the iPhone 17E Pro I tested was bought by CNET specifically for this purpose.
