AllThingsD reports that after years of offering the iPhone in either black or white, Apple is indeed ready to offer a third color option for the iPhone 5S: gold. But no, not just any type of gold, the one that we’ve seen for years as a back panel replacement kit, but an “elegant” gold tone. “Think champagne, not ingot,” sources said.
Why the new color option now?
As others have noted, gold tones are among the easiest colors to anodize, so technologically it’s an easy option to offer. It adds a bit of flash to an otherwise staid color palette that hasn’t changed in a number of years. It’s an obvious differentiator between the current iPhone 5 and whatever its successor ends up being called.
Finally, gold is becoming a more sought after color option at the higher end of markets like China. In fact, China’s luxury goods market is expected to grow about 40 percent over the next decade. One engine driving that? Gold jewelry sales.
Apple will reportedly unveil the next-generation iPhone on September 10, but it is still unclear whether the event will focus singularly on the iPhone 5S or include the announcement of the lower-cost iPhone as well.
ALSO CHECK OUT: This Is How The iPhone 5S Will Look Like With The New ‘Champagne’ Color Option [photos]