Apple recently introduced a new green color option for the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro. And while many people love how it looks, they’re also upset that Apple didn’t make the color available at launch. Since most people who wanted a new iPhone already bought one. So why did Apple wait six months to release a green iPhone? Well, consider the product’s release schedule. A new generation of iPhones are usually introduced every September. This announcement sparks excitement, huge sales, and a boost in revenue. Now since the iPhone is Apple’s most popular product, a new model earns the company quite a bit of money. In fact, the first quarter of every fiscal year from October to December is Apple’s most profitable, in part due to the holiday shopping season, but also because it’s when the new iPhone models are released. Just look at Apple’s revenue in the first quarter compared to the third quarter. The gap between them has widened in recent years thanks to the growing popularity of iPhone. And while this is a good thing for Apple, since it means more customers buying their latest smartphone at launch, it also adds pressure to boost revenue during their lowest-performing quarter to maximize annual earnings. And that brings us to the green iPhone 13. It’s no accident that the new color was released just a couple weeks before the third quarter. The buzz and interest that the color generates leads to a boost in iPhone sales, and helps shrink Apple’s quarterly earnings gap. But this sales strategy has been going on before iPhone 13. In 2016, Apple released the original iPhone SE right before the third quarter. They did the same thing in 2017 with the Product Red iPhone 7. In 2020, with the second generation SE. And 2021, with the purple iPhone 12. Apple could have released these special colors at launch, giving customers a chance to pick their favorite without feeling regret six months later. But that wouldn’t benefit their sales strategy. And since Apple doesn’t allow you to trade-in current generation iPhone models, users who prefer the new green iPhone 13 are simply out of luck.