IPhone 18 Pro’s New Colors May Inherit Paint-Peeling Problem From iPhone 17 Pro

What You Need to Know
- IPhone 18 Pro will use aluminum instead of titanium like previous models.
- IPhone 17 Pro owners reported paint peeling and scratches on anodized aluminum surfaces.
- IPhone 18 Pro may have same durability issues despite design continuation, per leaker.
- Four rumored colors: Dark Cherry, Light Blue, Dark Gray, and Silver.
Apple’s choice to stick with aluminum on the iPhone 18 Pro is already confirmed by multiple supply chain sources. What is less discussed is the warning attached to that confirmation: a Weibo leaker known as Fixed Focus Digital says the new color options may carry the same paint-peeling vulnerability that has dogged iPhone 17 Pro owners since launch.
The iPhone 17 Pro dropped titanium after two years in favor of an anodized aluminum unibody, and surface durability complaints followed almost immediately. Forum users reported visible scratches on in-store display units within days of availability, and a scratch test from YouTuber JerryRigEverything identified the camera plateau’s raised, unchamfered edges as a specific weak point. Apple has reportedly classified the chipping as an inherent characteristic of the material and normal wear and tear, leaving users with limited recourse.
A separate problem emerged the following month, when Cosmic Orange models began showing color shift toward a rose-gold or pink hue, with Apple Support replacing some affected devices. Fixed Focus Digital noted at the time that the iPhone 18 Pro would continue the same design approach despite these issues, and the new post does nothing to walk that back.
What colors are coming
Four options are currently rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro lineup:
- Dark Cherry, described as a deep wine-like red, considerably more muted than Cosmic Orange
- Light Blue
- Dark Gray
- Silver
Dark Cherry is expected to serve as the signature color for the cycle, filling the role Cosmic Orange played last year. The lineup will skip black for the second consecutive year, though the rumored gray option is said to come close.
The leaker also noted that heat dissipation on the aluminum build is “indeed excellent,” which reads as a genuine positive buried under the durability caveat. The iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max are expected alongside the first foldable iPhone in September 2026. If you need to check which model you currently own before deciding whether to upgrade, the timing gives plenty of runway.
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