Sierra Blue iPhone 13 Pro Differs From All Other Models in Hidden Way
Sierra Blue is Apple's new color with the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, and it has now emerged that the Sierra Blue iPhone 13 Pro differs from all other iPhone models in a way that may not be immediately obvious.

Sierra Blue is the first "Pro" iPhone color option to use a lighter shade that is still saturated with color. Previous models have offered Midnight Green and Pacific Blue, which were dark tones, much more akin to the iPhone 13 Pro's Graphite and Gold shades. The first real-world images of the iPhone 13 Pro in Sierra Blue revealed a very unique metallic, almost icy look.
All of the Pro model iPhones achieve their highly polished finishes using a physical vapor deposition process that Apple first introduced last year on the iPhone 12 Pro, but Apple has now confirmed that Sierra Blue differs from all previous iPhone colors due to a manufacturing process that could explain why the company was able to offer a lighter blue to replace last year's Pacific Blue. Apple's press release for the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max explained (emphasis our own):
The all-new Pro lineup features a premium flat-edge design, crafted with exceptional materials, including the surgical-grade stainless steel band, with an elegant finish that is resistant to abrasion and corrosion, and a textured matte glass back. Both models are available in four striking colors including the all-new sierra blue, created using multiple layers of nanometer-scale metallic ceramics applied across the surface for a stunning and durable finish.
Graphite, Gold, and Silver all make their return on the iPhone 13 Pro lineup, but Sierra Blue is a distinctive and eye-catching new color. With Sierra Blue being the only new shade to come to the Pro lineup of iPhones this year, some customers may be eager to get the new color due to it being instantly recognizable as the latest model. The knowledge that Sierra Blue is different at the nanometer scale may also serve as an interesting tidbit when selecting the color option.
Popular Stories
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of May 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X ...
With the design overhaul that's coming this year, Apple plans to rename all of its operating systems, reports Bloomberg. Going forward, iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS will be identified by year, rather than by version number. We're not going to be getting iOS 19, we're getting iOS 26.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
iOS 26 will be accompanied by...
Apple's iPhone 17 lineup will include four iPhones, and two of those are going to get all-new display sizes. There's the iPhone 17 Air, which we've heard about several times, but the standard iPhone 17 is also going to have a different display size.
We've heard a bit about the updated size before, but with most rumors focusing on the iPhone 17 Air, it's easy to forget. Display analyst Ross...
Sony today provided a closer look at the iPhone rigs used to shoot the upcoming post-apocalyptic British horror movie "28 Years Later" (via IGN).
With a budget of $75 million, Danny Boyle's 28 Years Later will become the first major blockbuster movie to be shot on iPhone. 28 Years Later is the sequel to "28 Days Later" (2002) and "28 Weeks Later" (2007), which depict the aftermath of a...
The next major version of macOS, now dubbed "macOS 26," is rumored to drop support for several older Intel-based Mac models currently compatible with macOS Sequoia.
According to individuals familiar with the matter cited by AppleInsider, the following Macs will not be supported by the next version of macOS:
MacBook Pro (2018)
iMac (2019)
iMac Pro (2017)
Mac mini (2018)
MacB...
With the next-generation version of iOS and other 2025 software updates, Apple is planning to change its numbering scheme. Rather than iOS 19, which would logically follow iOS 18, Apple is instead going to call the update iOS 26. Apple plans to use 26 across all of its platforms (the number representing the upcoming year), which will presumably be less confusing than having iOS 19, macOS 16,...
Apple is reportedly preparing to implement significant iPhone hardware redesigns each year for the next three generations.
According leaks from the Chinese supply chain disclosed by Weibo user "Digital Chat Station," Apple plans to carry out a series of phased industrial design changes affecting different parts of the iPhone across three consecutive years: 2025, 2026, and 2027. The changes...