For a number of years, Apple has asked that developers use only images of black iOS devices in their App Store marketing materials, although that restriction has never been firmly enforced. With the new look of iOS 7, Apple has been turning its promotional focus to white devices, and as noted by 9to5Mac earlier this month, the company removed language restricting developers to black devices, opening the door to additional color options.
On its App Store Marketing Guidelines page, Apple provides product images with blank display areas for all of the current iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch models to allow developers to paste their app screenshots into them for promotional purposes. The product colors included in Apple's downloads are limited, however, with the iPhone 5s, iPad Air, and iPad mini available in silver and space gray options while the iPhone 5c is available in blue and white and the iPod touch is available in blue and space gray.
Notably absent are files allowing developers to include their screenshots on gold iPhone 5s devices for marketing purposes, and Apple has now extended that restriction to custom photography and video, which already requires explicit approval from Apple. Apple has clarified which colors of devices may be used in custom photos and video with a new addition to the marketing guidelines:
Feature only the most current Apple products in the following finishes or colors: iPhone 5s in silver or space gray, iPhone 5c in white or blue, iPad Air in silver or space gray, and iPad mini in silver or space gray.
Just yesterday, a survey revealed that the blue and white iPhone 5c models have proven most popular with U.S. customers, and Apple's guidance on using those colors for developer marketing parallels consumer preference.
The iPhone 5s is a somewhat different story, with that survey showing the gold models with the lowest share among the three color options, but gold models have also been in the shortest supply. Those shortages have almost certainly skewed the buying patterns as customers wanting a gold iPhone have in many cases been forced to either turn to another color or hold off on their purchases until they can find a gold unit for purchase.
Apple has been heavily promoting the gold iPhone 5s in its television and print advertising for the iPhone 5s, and thus it appears that Apple prefers to keep focus on the distinctive color to itself. Within hours of the iPhone 5s launch as it became clear that customer demand for gold models was higher than expected, Apple was reportedly already moving to boost production of those models. Supplies do, however, remain very tight in Apple's retail stores and other locations.
