Why green is the smartphone flavour of the month

Tech giants Samsung and Apple have both released their flagship smartphones in green, making it kind of an unofficial colour of 2022, a move that will undoubtedly draw a legion of fans to the devices as consumers look to further personalise their own handsets. Both of these reveals were done in a way that drew particular attention to the green colour choices, leading us to believe that getting a green phone could be a little more special this year than getting a phone in any other colour. 

Samsung was the first to announce its new flagship green smartphones, releasing the Galaxy S22 line-up (including the Samsung S22 Ultra) in a medium shade of green at its Galaxy Unpacked event in early February. 

Apple released its new iPhone 13 line-up back in September 2021 without green, and then several months later updated its line-up at Peak Performance with two stunning new colours for iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 - Green and the lighter Alpine Green, a move that Samsung alluded to on Twitter as being likely influenced by its own green colour choice. 

Ultra? Green? We're feeling sincerely flattered today.

— Samsung Mobile US (@SamsungMobileUS) March 8, 2022

What's wrong with green, you may well ask? Absolutely nothing at all. In fact, quite the opposite; we think the more colours available, the better! But it has us thinking... Why green exactly? Why not Lavender, Almond, Tallow or another more off skew colour that could score them both points for originality? 

It's unlikely either company would have made the decision to add green on a whim. After all, what blue-chip tech company doesn't bring the full weight of its marketing machinery to its product decision-making, factoring in consideration for a colour's popularity, future appeal and even associations? It looks like they were spot on with their choices too, the phones look beautiful, which is indicative of how much thought went into them. And, if you're a fan of the darker colours in particular, they make attractive alternatives to the most popular colour: black. 

Credit: Apple

But if we're looking for more reasons Apple and Samsung have homed in on green, we should skirt back over the recent events, looking at timing, and at comments we glanced over while we were distracted by the new technologies that were also released at the unveilings.

Apple CEO Tim Cook didn't provide any extra special reasons for the new green coloured iPhone 13s at Peak Performance, other than to say they have "gorgeous new finishes" that complement the company's line-up. However, it's uncanny how close to 'green obsessed' St Patricks Day they were announced - St Patrick's Day falling on March 17 2022, just a week later. 

From Samsung we got a bit more of the reasoning behind the decision for green in media videos from the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event, where a spokesperson explained that after careful research and consideration, one of the reasons it was selected was to have "a calming effect on the user." 

If that sounds a little farfetched, it's a claim that's not without some merit. Research into colour psychology suggests that colours can evoke psychological reactions affecting moods and emotions, especially the colour green, which the human brain identifies with the natural world and the calming affects that go along with that. Mind you, most of the findings from research regarding the benefits of green was uncovered in research participants enjoying the greenery of nature. 

Whether or not that also extends to smartphones is impossible to say without undertaking double blind experiments on user smartphone experience and stress, but it's undeniable that consumers are constantly looking for ways to reduce stress and relax, so anything that can help them do that, is worth investigating. 

Credit: Samsung

 Samsung's choice for green also seems to tie in nicely with the company's new "green" environmental plan, the Galaxy for the Planet campaign, which is its roadmap to minimising its environmental impact. At Galaxy Unpacked, Samsung announced it was repurposing disposed ocean fishing nets as parts for its new smartphones, a clever idea that it says will remove 50 tons of fishing lines from the oceans in 2022. 

Are these simply smart marketing ploys that tap into the consumer zeitgeist and greater concerns for health and the environment? Or, is green really healthier and representative of a new, better greener world? We'll let you decide that. Regardless, it certainly can't hurt having an extra couple of reasons to get a flashy new phone in 2022. 

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iPhone 13 Pro

Credit: Apple

Best prices today: Starting at AU$1,199 from Apple 

The Apple iPhone 13 Pro can also be purchased from the major carriers, Optus, Telstra and Vodafone and paired with a post-paid plan. See the widget below:

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

Credit: Samsung

Best prices today: Starting at AU$1,849 at Samsung

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra can also be purchased from the major carriers, Optus, Testra and Vodafone and from Woolworths stores and then paired with a pre or post-paid plan. See the widget below: