.svg)
After years of minimalism, Apple has decided to bring flashy colors back. Throughout the first decade of this century, the company has been characterized by glass and machined aluminum, providing users with no space for individual expression.[1] So what is it that we are currently observing? As smartphones have become a crucial element of personal expression, Apple has started thinking about IPhones not purely in terms of technology but more as an accessory. In times of political, social, and economic upheaval, when many of us need something to feel better about the world, color has just entered into fashion.
Are You Getting Manipulated by Colors?
Besides the political upheaval, it is social media driving millennials and corporations to normalize color as a tool to manipulate human minds. When posting pictures on social media, how are you drawing people’s attention and utilizing their emotional reactions? The answer is color - of a different kind. Grays or beiges are commonly reserved for older users trying to calm their nerves, looking for something that makes them indifferent. In fact, cool tones are proved to be most widely appealing to social media audiences. In turn, the younger generations might be expected to be more attracted by flashy colors - the youth seems to be more drawn to brighter colors.
Color psychology works mechanically: the shades appeal to one's senses, eventually influencing human behavior. For example, when the eye catches the metallic color, you know its user has spent a handsome amount of money on it. That is how, for instance, the premium iPhone lines work. In turn, by releasing white, black, and red iPhones, Apple took advantage of human addiction to social acceptance: no one will dare to question the color of a red phone. The basic shades keep you safe when exposed to social opinions. In addition to that, Apple has introduced the pastel line, taking a punt on the sense of belongingness and inner calm the pastels appeal to.
Game of Colors: Interface and Dark Mode Epidemic
As appealing as the outward appearance of your phone is designed to be, it also seems advisable for the interface to play with colors. What we observe is the epidemic of dark modes. Except for the long-lasting battery and eyestrain, many mobile users think dark mode looks slicker: it does offer something mysteriously strange and unknown. Besides, it is more convenient for presenting graphics: the colors appear better on a dark background. The black color is thought to be the only one that provides good contrast for most shades.
Similarly, the new Android 12 also takes a chance on the colors trend. The mobile operating system guarantees a highly personalized appearance, while the Material You concept offers dynamic color selections. Instead of holding on to a single-color palette, colors used throughout the system will be easily modified. In turn, a Color Extraction feature uses this personalization by applying colors from within an image to a user interface. Among all of the news, the dynamic lighting is also part of the upgrades: “by tapping the bottom of the display, it will start illuminating the screen from that point, but the origin point of where it lights up changes if you press the power button.”[2]
In a world where our tech gadgets bring to the surface our addictive tendencies, many consider colors an antithesis of technology - a sign of optimism and serenity.
