Images Reveal Apple's Abandoned Pink and Yellow AirPods Prototypes Inspired by the iPhone 5c

Apple has stuck to a strict white-only aesthetic for its main AirPods line since day one, but new images reveal the company seriously considered a much more colorful approach during development.



Photos shared by prototype collector Kosutami show the original AirPods charging case shells in vibrant pink and yellow. According to the collector, these abandoned prototypes were specifically intended to color-match the iPhone 5c. That device was defined by its glossy polycarbonate back and bright color options, a look these charging cases replicate perfectly.


While the iPhone 5c debuted years before the original AirPods launched in 2016, Apple is known to explore design ideas long before a product ever ships. Ultimately, Apple decided to pass on the colors, sticking with the clean white finish that has become so recognizable for the brand.

To this day, the in-ear AirPods lineup remains exclusively white, leaving colors to the aluminum AirPods Max or the Beats subsidiary. The current generation, including the AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 3, continues this tradition.

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