“So, is there some kind of promotional link?” My husband was looking for answers. “No. They’re just green phones.” This wasn’t a satisfactory answer, so he continued.
“Is it something environmental? Are they made from recycled plastic or something?
Also no, I informed him. They are just normal phones, but green.
“Oh, I bet it’s for St. Patrick’s Day!” It also seemed unlikely that Apple would time the launch of a new phone color for what is more or less an unofficial binge drinking party in this country, but I reckon it was possible, given the mid-March date.
Earlier this week, Apple announced some really interesting new hardwareincluding a new desk for creatives and a screen that doesn’t cost a fortune. He also announced the new colors of the iPhone 13: normal green for the normal iPhone 13 and Alpine green for the 13 Pro Max.
I placed the two green iPhones on the dining room table next to another recent green flagship phone: the Samsung Galaxy S22. I i checked it earlier this monthand I was a bit caught off guard by how much I liked the green treatment.
So now I am faced with three different shades of green on three different phones. The normal green of the standard iPhone is a bit more saturated, more Kelly green than I expected. It also makes the Apple logo stand out more than I like. Alpine green is a bit softer and more muted. And sitting side by side, they both make the green S22 look a lot less green than I thought it was and more of a deep blue-green.
I’m not sure what the green phone is about or why they’re suddenly having a moment. They’re not the first green smartphones by any means: Apple sold the iPhone 11 in a fun mint green, and the 11 Pro in a dark “Midnight Green.” OnePlus has also offered “glacial” and “pine” green color options in recent history. But it’s remarkable when the top two phone makers in the US suddenly offer their flagships in various eco-friendly treatments. Was there a note that the rest of us missed? Who decides these things? Green is not even pantone color of the year.
In any case, a green phone just looks different, but not in an attention-hungry way. It’s a subtle statement, something that makes you wonder about the person wearing it. They probably really do have their shit together. Maybe they have already filed their taxes and drink enough water every day. Maybe they’ve discovered something the rest of us haven’t. It is also the color of American money.
Regardless, the iPhone 13 Pro is the current best green phone, followed by the standard iPhone 13, with the Galaxy S22 coming in third.