Prototype AirPods give us a glimpse into color options that we still need

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We were on the verge of greatness, we were this close.

Prototype AirPods images
(Image credit: Kosutami)

AirPods come in one color and one color only – white. Unlike other Apple products, you can't choose a color option on the purchase page, or when you go to the shop, you have to do the ol' Henry Ford, and lump it with the single available color. Hope you like it because it's all you're getting, etc etc.

Things could have been different, however – these images of prototype AirPods from Twitter user Kosutami show that we almost had some cool colors that we could buy AirPods in.

This means that somewhere out there, in an alternative universe, a different version of you is walking around with Midnight-colored AirPods Pro 2. Why couldn't it have been us?

Colored AirPods

Kosutami is a "Rare Apple product collector", so these prototype AirPods are right up their street. They add some more details to really hammer home the FOMO, as well; Apple "planned to make Pink, ProductRED, Purple, Black, and Blonde."

So not only did we not get colored AirPods, but we also missed out on Purple AirPods. Even worse is that they made it all the way through the different design stages – according to Kosutami, they were canceled "close to launch."

Apparently, the AirPods colors were going to match the colors that you could buy an iPhone 7 in – including the unreleased purple color that the pictures also feature in. We of course finally got a purple iPhone with the iPhone 12, followed by Purple with the iPhone 14 and Deep Purple with the iPhone 14 Pro, albeit these aren't quite as purple as the one shown here.

So while we lament the as-yet-continued lack of colorful AirPods, we're sure to see some more colors on the upcoming iPhone 15 – and who knows? Maybe Apple will see bring some fun with some matching colorful AirPods.

If you want to join the conversations, make sure you head over to our forum to sign up so that you can give your two cents on which color AirPods you'd have most liked to have seen.

Tammy Rogers
Tammy Rogers
Senior Staff Writer

As iMore's Senior Staff writer, Tammy uses her background in audio and Masters in screenwriting to pen engaging product reviews and informative buying guides. The resident audiophile (or audio weirdo), she's got an eye for detail and a love of top-quality sound. Apple is her bread and butter, with attention on HomeKit and Apple iPhone and Mac hardware. You won't find her far away from a keyboard even outside of working at iMore – in her spare time, she spends her free time writing feature-length and TV screenplays. Also known to enjoy driving digital cars around virtual circuits, to varying degrees of success. Just don't ask her about AirPods Max - you probably won't like her answer.