The arrival of the iPhone 6s pushed one important aspect of design back into our minds this year – there’s been a severe lack of pink gadgetry in the market of late.
Prior to the arrival of the rose gold 6s, the patriarchy had long defined the role of pink in society as a female signifier (and equally blue as a male signifier). As such it’s held a heavy influence over the world of design (along with almost every other facet of daily life), from clothes to cars, toys, paint, balloons and of course technology – anyone remember the hot pink Motorola RAZR?
The reason the 6s is such a pivotal device then, aside from being the latest iteration of iPhone, is the fact that men started buying the rose gold option in droves and that alone was enough to turn heads and make headlines.
Read our full Apple iPhone 6s review
It’s technically never been an issue for cis males to purchase pink tech for themselves, but society assumes the majority won’t, without ever questioning why. With the popularity and attention the rose gold iPhone 6s has garnered, we decided to look a little further afield to see what other great mobile goodness is out there right now in colour of the moment.
The iPhone might have popularised the colour again, but there are actually a number of other smartphones from the last 12 months available in varying hues of pink.
Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
Whilst Sony’s latest flagship comes in a range of muted tones, its smaller sibling, the Z5 Compact can be had in more lively options, including coral. It also packs the latest Snapdragon processor, a huge 23-megapixel camera, a waterproof body and stellar two-day battery life. If it’s too pricey however, Sony’s M4 Aqua also shares in its waterproofing and comes in a similar rosy hue too.
Read our full Sony Xperia Z5 Compact review
Update 15/1/2016: Sony has just confirmed that the standard Z5 will also now be available in a ‘warm, sophisticated’ pink variant. Huzzah!
Huawei Mate S
There are several skews of the Huawei Mate S and whilst the Press Touch version (read: the company’s rival tech to Apple’s 3D Touch technology) is the one that grabs the most attention, if you’re looking for a sleek, sexy metal-bodied rose-gold rival to the iPhone 6s, the Premium version of the Mate S is the way to go.
Read our full Huawei Mate S review
Xiaomi Mi 4i
Whilst Xiaomi is known for its affordable handsets, the Mi 4 was one of the best and brightest flagships in the company’s portfolio in 2014 and the 4i is a respectable follow up that punches above its weight one year on.
Its strengths lie in the balance of performance, its camera and Xiaomi’s adaptable UI, but we also love it because it’s another worthwhile mid-ranger that comes in our colour of choice.
HTC One M9
If you live Stateside you’re in the enviable position of being able to pick up HTC’s 2015 top dog, the One M9 in one of two special edition pink variants. Both pink M9s offer more than flagship performance and a distinctive colour scheme, you’ll be supporting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation at the same time. HTC even throws in a colour-matched Dot View case to sweeten the deal even further. Nice.
Read our full HTC One M9 review
Apple Watch
As one of the most recognisable wearables in the world, it’s nice to now that pink is well represented amidst the plethora of colour combinations the Apple Watch can be had in.
At launch you could pick up the Sport Band strap in a number of different shades, or if you had a few thousand in your pocket the Edition in rose gold, but since then Apple’s expanded the lineup to include more pink strap options and both sizes in a rose gold aluminium finish too.
Read our full Apple Watch review
Sony SmartWatch 3
If Android Wear is more your thing, Sony offers a number of straps to wrap around its (admittedly late-2014) wearable and there’s an all-pink silicone sports strap on the books with an adjustable clasp that’s perfect for fitness, or just as a way to help your smartwatch stand out.
Read our full Sony SmartWatch 3 review
Olloclip 4-in-1 lens
Possibly one of the biggest names in the way of lens kits for your smartphone, Olloclip has a great range of smartphone-centric glass to take your mobile photography to the next level. In celebration of the rose gold iPhone, Olloclip has started producing one of its most popular and versatile lens systems in rose gold too.
The kit in question features two lenses, letting you snap on a fisheye, 10x or 15x macro option, or a wide-angle lens.
Read our Olloclip 4-in-1 hands-on
Read next: Phone manufacturers, it’s time to stop making pink phones for girls
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