A gold iPhone? Could it be? Why would it be? The rumors that Apple is going to release a gold iPhone on September 10th are somewhat overwhelming. In fact, these rumors are so present that they are hard to ignore - try as one might. In the tech world, you really have to discriminate between rumors that are really based on nothing and rumors that have some weight, well, this one seems to have some weight.
More than one reputable technology blog has confirmed the gold iPhone rumors. That likely means that Apple will, indeed, release a gold iPhone. Why would Apple choose such a (dare I say it?) tacky color? Apple's new color choice might make more sense than you think!
Why Gold Isn't a Bad Idea
One of Apple's major markets is China. The color gold in China is huge right now, according to sites like AllThingsD. If Apple wants to please Chinese consumers, the newest iPhone (no name yet) will, in fact, come in gold. Some rumors state that the phone will have a champagne gold tint with a white face, and that seems to be right in line with what consumers want. There's another reason why gold makes sense too.
Gold is an easy color to create. Plating something in gold isn't as hard as coloring a device pink, for example, and Apple has been criticized for only offering black and white iPhone options. So, gold might be the way for Apple to go. It's easy to see that most of the North American market won't go for gold, but that is probably okay with Apple.
White and Black Too
Apple is really targeting the Chinese market with the gold tinted iPhone. Black and White versions of the phone will also likely be available. In most of North America, a gold phone might be viewed as tacky, though it's not necessary what the rest of the world thinks. In most parts of the world, gold is still a sign of wealth, and that's what Apple is basing its new marketing on.
Interestingly, Apple sold a champagne colored iPod a long time ago, though that color was yanked from the market because it simply didn't sell. Will the gold iPhone suffer the same fate? There's also the possibility that Apple may not offer the gold option in the U.S. Quite possibly, the gold iPhone might only be available overseas.
Flashy But Useful
Walking around some crowded city streets with a gold iPhone might make you a prime target for mugging, but the new iPhone will also be an upgrade from the current iPhone 5. Sources state that the newest version of the iPhone 5 will be a "middle of the road" product for Apple, so it won't be a lesser phone or a really upgraded one, just a new one.
Apple is going for the gold with the new iPhone, that much is almost entirely one-hundred percent confirmed. Apple is expected to release the new iPhone 5 on September 10th, so stay tuned!