FCC photos hint at future -- or defunct -- gold iPhone X model

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone edited April 2018
Apple is or was planning to ship a gold-colored version of the iPhone X as predicted by some early rumors, according to U.S. Federal Communications Commission documents.




Images of a gold model were published just this month, though they actually date back to September and October. Coloring includes both the back and the metal rim.

While the phone is unmistakably an iPhone X, the FCC refers to it having an "LCD display" instead of OLED. While the device pictured has European regulatory markings below the word "iPhone," Apple has done this before, most notably with the 2012 Retina MacBook Pro.

The filing's authenticity has been confirmed by AppleInsider with the FCC, so there's no real reason to doubt their provenance.

Rumors of a gold iPhone X were commonplace before the phone's launch. These have unexpectedly revived in recent weeks.

One possibility is that Apple will put out a gold X in the near future to mildly invigorate sales, much like the (PRODUCT)RED versions of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus. Alternately it may have decided to scrap the idea a long time ago, faced with reported difficulties in manufacturing the X's 3D-sensing TrueDepth camera.

Shipment times have improved rapidly though, and it's now possible to get an X on demand.

The phone is still available only in silver and space gray months after its November launch. The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus had an additional gold option when they shipped in September.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 9
    supadav03supadav03 Posts: 503member
    I don’t usually go for the gold colored phones but this looks really nice. Similar to the Product (Red) iPhone 8, not having the white face makes all the difference in the world. 
    watto_cobracornchip
  • Reply 2 of 9
    FolioFolio Posts: 698member
    Apple via email asked me to take 15 min survey today as an X buyer. Many detailed questions on cameras. Also operations. Some on finish. Inquired if I used Cortana or Google asst and how I rated Siri. I was disappointed not more questions on Siri, but I guess focus was the iPhone X. The survey asked about speed of Face ID. But did not seem to know you can make recognition faster in Settings/accessibility. Slight trade off in security but noticeably faster for me. In all, very happy w phone. But now I wonder if bulk of buyers, ie non readers of AI, don’t fully understand how to use some of its best features.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 9
    peterhartpeterhart Posts: 157member
    It's unfortunate that, for those of us that wanted a phone to match the new gold Watch, only the iPhone 8 series was given the new gold treatment. At this point, I'm unable to justify getting/paying for a gold X, although I would have preferred it, even with the delay in obtaining a X later in the year if we definitely knew it was coming. Saddens me that mid-cycles are done for, seemingly, sales re-invigoration only.
    edited April 2018
  • Reply 4 of 9
    seanismorrisseanismorris Posts: 1,624member
    The “gold” color looks off (ugly).

    I have a gold IPad Pro, and it’s 2x as attractive.  Apple may be having issues with the color and the glass back...
    cornchip
  • Reply 5 of 9
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,879member
    peterhart said:
    It's unfortunate that, for those of us that wanted a phone to match the new gold Watch, only the iPhone 8 series was given the new gold treatment. At this point, I'm unable to justify getting/paying for a gold X, although I would have preferred it, even with the delay in obtaining a X later in the year if we definitely knew it was coming. Saddens me that mid-cycles are done for, seemingly, sales re-invigoration only.
    But....it isn’t. There is no mid-cycle gold X. 
  • Reply 6 of 9
    SebbCeeSebbCee Posts: 5member
    frankly I would prefer a transparent glass cover so I could see all the internals like the milenium imacs and cube - so there is precident!
    cornchip
  • Reply 7 of 9
    mwhitemwhite Posts: 287member
    The “gold” color looks off (ugly).

    I have a gold IPad Pro, and it’s 2x as attractive.  Apple may be having issues with the color and the glass back...
    2 weeks ago I purchased a gold iPhone 8 and the color is very nice color, also every iPhone I have ever had except this one has had a black face and I'm really enjoying the white face on this iPhone. Just saying...
    edited April 2018
  • Reply 8 of 9
    Arfshesaid...Arfshesaid... Posts: 43member
    Gold. The kitsch colour a company chooses for its products when it has completely run out of ideas. It's also popular with despots who have no taste and snobs who like to be in yer face about their loads a money!
  • Reply 9 of 9
    Arfshesaid...Arfshesaid... Posts: 43member
    SebbCee said:
    frankly I would prefer a transparent glass cover so I could see all the internals like the milenium imacs and cube - so there is precident!
    I suspect all you would see are large dollops of glue and microscopic screws.
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