For years, black has been more than just another color in Apple’s lineup. It has been the shorthand for “Pro.” When you picture a MacBook Pro on a desk, chances are it’s the Space Black model. The iPad Pro? The iMac Pro? Same story. Even Apple’s accessories, from the Magic Keyboard to the Magic Trackpad, are available in a deep black option.

But this fall, something odd happened. The new iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max don’t come in black. Not Jet Black, not Midnight, not Space Black. Apple has effectively retired the most “Pro” color from its most important Pro product.

A history of black iPhones

Black has a legacy at Apple. There has been a black iPhone since the iPhone 3G. Over the years, the black hue sometimes ended up as a lighter variant like Space Gray, but there was always an option for fans of a darker, more neutral color.

Back in 2016, the iPhone 7 introduced Jet Black, an ultra-glossy finish that instantly became a collector’s item despite its tendency to scratch. In 2017, the iPhone X was released only in black and white, with the iPhone XS adding a sleek gold option a year later.

In 2019, Apple unveiled the iPhone 11 Pro in a dark green color, but still offered a Space Gray option. The iPhone 12 Pro and 13 Pro leaned on Graphite, while the iPhone 14 Pro came in Space Black, a finish that made headlines for being the darkest iPhone Apple had made in years.

By the time the iPhone 15 Pro arrived, Space Black felt like a default. Rumors suggested it would carry forward to the iPhone 17 Pro, too, but when Apple unveiled the lineup this week, the option was nowhere to be found.

The rumors versus what actually happened

Earlier this year, Macworld obtained access to an internal document that revealed the potential colors Apple had been experimenting with for the iPhone 17 lineup. We got most of them right, except for a Steel Gray iPhone 17 that apparently ended up being scrapped.

The same document also hinted that Apple had plans to release the iPhone 17 Pro in the traditional black, white, and silver, in addition to the new Deep Blue and Cosmic Orange. However, while black and white seemed like pretty obvious choices, Apple didn’t go that route.

That raises a question: Did Apple intentionally step away from the most Pro-looking color, or was black simply a casualty of the company’s ever-changing material science experiments? 

We don’t know exactly why Apple scrapped a black option – it could be something related to the new material, since the black aluminum on the iPhone 5 tended to scratch easily. But it’s not like Apple hasn’t made other black aluminum products since then.

Why black matters for Pro users

Black isn’t just a safe color. It’s a statement. For professionals, black hardware blends seamlessly into workflows. It doesn’t scream for attention in a meeting room. Many people choose black devices because they’re discreet, elegant, and sophisticated.

By skipping black on the iPhone 17 Pro, Apple is creating a gap in its product family. You can buy a Space Black MacBook Pro, pair it with a Space Black iPad Pro, and then… what? A silver or orange iPhone 17 Pro? The ecosystem suddenly feels inconsistent.

Personally, I’m really unsure about which iPhone color I should get this year. I currently have a desert iPhone 16 Pro Max, which I think is a very elegant color since it’s not too bright but still gives it a bit of a unique touch. Now the orange seems too bright and flashy. The dark blue didn’t catch my attention. And the silver looks a little too basic. It seems that there’s a fourth option missing, and that option would be black.

Apple may argue that its new finishes are just as premium, but the absence of black feels like a misstep. Pro users value consistency, and for many, black is the most consistent, professional option. It’s the uniform of Apple’s Pro lineup, and now it’s missing from the product that matters most.

Maybe Apple will reintroduce black next year, just as it has cycled through greens, purples, and golds before. But for now, if you want a Pro iPhone that matches your black MacBook or Apple Watch, you’re out of luck.

Black has always been the most Pro color. Without it, the iPhone 17 Pro lineup looks just a little less… Pro.

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Ether (ETH) is trading near record highs and bullish forecasts like Tom Lee’s $15,000 year-end target have put a spotlight on how investors can best gain exposure to ETH.

Market context

According to CoinDesk Data, ether, the second-largest cryptocurrency, is trading at about $4,783 at the time of writing, near its all-time highs, reflecting strong investor demand amid growing institutional adoption.

Tom Lee, head of research at Fundstrat, CIO of Fundstrat Capital and chairman of BitMine Immersion Technologies (BMNR), told CoinDesk last month that ETH could reach $15,000 by the end of 2025. His comments highlight renewed optimism around Ethereum’s growing importance for stablecoins, decentralized finance (DeFi) and real-world asset (RWA) tokenization.

Direct ETH ownership: the purest play

Owning ETH outright is the most straightforward way to participate. Holders gain full control of the asset and direct access to Ethereum’s decentralized finance (DeFi), NFT and staking ecosystems. ETH trades 24/7 across global markets, but investors must manage custody and security — whether through self custody wallets or third party custodians — and contend with evolving regulations. Costs are generally limited to exchange fees and gas.

Spot ETH ETFs: regulated simplicity, with staking proposals pending

Spot ether ETFs have made it possible for traditional investors to gain regulated ETH exposure through brokerage accounts. Some issuers are now seeking permission from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to add staking to their products.

If approved, staking would allow funds to earn additional yield by securing Ethereum’s proof-of-stake network and pass that income to shareholders. That would represent a first for U.S. crypto ETFs.

Prominent ETF analyst Nate Geraci said on July 30 that staking-enabled ether ETFs are likely to be “the SEC’s next hit list” before it takes up applications for other spot crypto products.

His point reflects a broader expectation that regulators will scrutinize staking first, since it blends DeFi-native mechanics with traditional fund structures. For investors, that means staking-enabled ETFs could reshape exposure by adding income streams beyond price appreciation — but only if regulators are satisfied that custody, transparency and market manipulation concerns are addressed.

For now, the SEC has acknowledged amendments to allow staking but has not yet granted approval, leaving timing uncertain.

Corporate treasuries: equity exposure with added volatility

Another path is investing in shares of publicly-traded companies that hold ether in their treasuries. BitMine Immersion Technologies, for example, disclosed on Aug. 18 holdings over 1.5 million ETH, currently worth around $7.3 billion.

This approach ties shareholder value to ETH price movements and, potentially, corporate staking income. But equity exposure adds new risks:

• Capital raising risk: Companies need strong share prices to issue new equity for ETH purchases. A weak stock price directly limits their ability to grow treasuries.
• Double volatility: Even if ETH rises, the company’s stock might fall due to unrelated factors (earnings, sentiment, governance), meaning investors face risks beyond ETH’s price swings.

Comparing the options

Direct ETH

• Pros: Full control, access to DeFi/NFTs, 24/7 liquidity
• Cons: Custody and security risks, regulatory uncertainty
• Best for: Hands on investors comfortable with wallets

Spot ETH ETFs

• Pros: Regulated, simple brokerage access, potential staking yield (if approved)
• Cons: Fees, SEC hurdles, no DeFi access
• Best for: Traditional investors seeking simplicity

Corporate Treasuries

• Pros: Exposure to ETH plus potential corporate growth/staking returns
• Cons: Double volatility, dilution risk, governance exposure
• Best for: Equity investors looking for a hybrid play

Choosing a path

With ETH near record highs and bold forecasts fueling investor interest, the question for 2025 is less about whether to own ether and more about which vehicle best fits each investor’s risk appetite.

If you’re a cash-strapped senior, you may find it a little easier to manage your taxes next spring thanks to the “big, beautiful bill” that became law last month. Contrary to what some sources have said, it’s not because the law eliminated Social Security benefit taxes. Those remain exactly the same as when the government first created them in the 1980s.

Instead, the law adds a new senior tax deduction worth up to $6,000 for a single adult or $12,000 for a married couple. This can significantly reduce your taxable income — and your tax bill — for the year. But before you get too excited, you’ll need to qualify for the savings by meeting both of the qualifications below.

1. You’re at least 65 or older

The new senior deduction, like the previous senior tax deduction, is only available to adults 65 and older. If you’re younger than this at the end of the year, you will not qualify for the deduction in 2025, even if you’re claiming Social Security benefits. On the plus side, you may be eligible for the deduction even if you haven’t signed up for Social Security yet.

2. You aren’t a high earner

This tax deduction has income phaseouts that limit the savings available to high earners. If you’re a single adult with an annual income of $75,000 or less in 2025 you’ll qualify for the full $6,000 credit. The same goes for married couples with an annual income of $150,000 or less.

After this, the credit is subject to a 6% phaseout. So it drops by $60 for every $1,000 your income exceeds the above threshold for your marital status. For example, a single adult earning $76,000 would only qualify for a $5,940 deduction instead of the full $6,000 deduction.

If your income exceeds $150,000 for a single adult or $250,000 for a married couple, you will not be eligible for any new deduction under the law for the 2025 tax year. However, you will still qualify for the standard deduction and the existing senior tax deduction of $2,000 ($1,600 each for a married couple).

How much will the new deduction save you?

A tax deduction is basically income the government doesn’t tax you on. So if your income was $60,000 this year and you qualify for a $12,000 tax deduction, you’ll only pay taxes on the remaining $48,000.

The exact dollar amount you’ll save depends on several factors, including your annual income and tax filing status. A Council of Economic Advisors report estimates that the average senior who qualifies for the new tax deduction will see an increase of $670 in after-tax income. But it’s possible that you may save slightly more or less than this.

If you want a better idea of how much money you’ll save under this new law, talk with an accountant who can give you advice on your specific situation. Also, keep in mind that if you end up earning more than expected during the rest of 2025 or withdrawing more from your tax-deferred retirement accounts, like your 401(k), than you planned, this could increase your tax liability for the year.

You should also bear in mind that, according to the law, the new senior deduction will only remain in effect through tax year 2028. After that, it’s slated to go away unless the government chooses to extend it or make it permanent. So this is something to pay attention to if you don’t want to be caught off guard in future tax years.

Nvidia (NVDA 1.05%) is the world’s largest company, with a market cap around $4.4 trillion. It has reached this place thanks to its dominant position in the market for artificial intelligence (AI) chips that handle training and inference workloads in data centers.

The booming demand for AI chips has helped Nvidia deliver outstanding growth over the past several quarters. Its terrific growth has led to healthy market gains of 68% in the past year as of market close Aug. 4, despite a difficult start to 2025. In fact, Nvidia stock’s returns have easily outpaced the 18% gains clocked by the S&P 500 index during this same period.

Investors, however, may be wondering whether Nvidia has the ability to sustain its momentum in the coming year, especially considering its huge market cap and high valuation. In this article, I will take a closer look at Nvidia’s catalysts and see where the stock could be after a year.

These developments suggest Nvidia has room for more upside

Massive spending by cloud computing giants and governments around the globe has played a central role in driving Nvidia’s outstanding revenue and earnings growth in recent quarters. The good part is that Nvidia can continue counting on these avenues for growth.

For instance, the capital expenses of big tech players Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, and Meta Platforms are expected to hit $364 billion this year, up from an earlier estimate of $325 billion. All these companies are investing substantially in AI data center infrastructure to bring more AI-focused cloud solutions to customers.

The updated capital spending forecast points toward a 63% increase from last year’s outlay. A nice chunk of this spending can be expected to be directed toward chips that power AI infrastructure. McKinsey estimates that 60% of AI infrastructure spending is likely to be directed toward chips and computing hardware.

Nvidia’s addressable market, therefore, is likely to expand. Importantly, the company is the leading player in the AI chip market, with an estimated share of more than 90% at the end of last year.

Another factor that’s going to give Nvidia stock a nice boost is its access to the Chinese market. The company was frozen out of China in April of this year following export restrictions on the sales of its AI chips to that country. However, Nvidia recently pointed out that it has received assurances it will be able to sell its AI chips to Chinese customers once again.

The company has reportedly placed orders for 300,000 China-specific AI chips with its foundry partner Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). That’s in addition to the stockpile of 600,000 to 700,000 existing H20 AI processors that Nvidia is currently sitting on. Nvidia is expected to generate an estimated $15 billion in revenue from sales to Chinese customers in the second half of the year.

It is worth noting that Nvidia incurred a $4.5 billion charge in the first quarter of fiscal 2026 on account of restrictions on shipments to Chinese customers. The company also highlighted that its fiscal Q2 revenue would take an $8 billion hit because of those export restrictions. Meanwhile, the aggressive spending on AI infrastructure by governments across the globe is expected to boost Nvidia’s annual revenue by $10 billion to $15 billion.

As such, don’t be surprised to see Nvidia’s revenue in the current fiscal year (which will end in January 2026) coast past Wall Street’s expectations of $201 billion, which would translate into an increase of 54% from last year.

But what about the valuation?

Nvidia stock’s recent rally has brought its price-to-sales (P/S) multiple to 29 and the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio to 56. The company needs to keep growing at a faster pace than the market’s expectations to justify its rich valuation.

The potential growth outlined above suggest it is indeed capable of doing so. The company’s planned re-entry into the Chinese market, along with the substantial increase in AI-related spending by big tech companies that have been buying Nvidia’s data center processors, could easily help it eclipse consensus expectations in the coming year.

The impressive growth Nvidia is expected to deliver is the reason its forward earnings multiples are much lower than the trailing ones.

NVDA PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts. PE Ratio = price-to-earnings ratio.

So, growth investors should still consider buying this AI stock, which the most optimistic analyst gives a price target of $250 for the next 12 months. That points toward potential gains of 39% from current levels, and there is a good chance that Nvidia could end up hitting that mark thanks to the healthy spending on AI infrastructure in the coming year.

Harsh Chauhan has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.