Altered Beats photo ad with silver iPhone 7 sparks hopes of official 'Jet White' model

Rumors of a "Jet White" iPhone 7 refuse to die. Stirring up the pot on Thursday was Apple's own Beats brand, which posted to the web a photo that appears to reveal a glossy white version of this year's flagship iPhone.

Posted to Beats' official Instagram page, the snapshot ad shows a pair of black Studio Wireless headphones sitting next to what looks to be a white iPhone 7.

Considering Apple released two new black iPhone colors this year — matte black and the in demand glossy Jet Black — alongside the usual assortment of silver, gold and rose gold color options, a photo of a heretofore unannounced white iPhone 7 from Beats would be quite the tasty tidbit. If only it were real.

A few adjustments in Photoshop reveals the handset in question is almost certainly a plain Jane silver model, its color likely washed out by one of Instagram's built-in filters. Alas, the elusive "Jet White" iPhone 7 remains a white whale.

The rumor mill first caught wind of the alleged "Jet White" iPhone 7 in November when Japanese blog Mac Otakara, citing supply chain sources, claimed Apple was thinking about bringing a glossy white version of its handset market.

In December, serial leaker Sonny Dickson posted a short video showing off iPhone 7 and 7 Plus rear casings done up in gleaming glossy white.

"Could this be the Jet White iPhone 7?" Dickson asked coyly.

No. As noted by AppleInsider, the parts, while nearly identical in design to official Apple hardware, contain telltale variations that suggest Dickson simply got his hands on custom aftermarket housings.

Beyond rumor mongering, hard evidence proving Apple is indeed planning to release a "Jet White" iPhone 7 has yet to surface. That said, a white version might be in the cards for a next-generation model, especially after this year's labor intensive Jet Black finish proved a massive hit.