I think that there is a 'self definition' (whether right or wrong) that takes place with a device decision. When people choose an iPhone or Android phone, they start to identify with that brand. The same can be said of color.

Back in 2007 I remember listening to a student and his father shopping for a Mac. He refused to buy the lower cost white one because it was girly. He had to get the top of the MacBooks black model.

I think the self definition aspect of the purchase lasts much longer than a couple weeks.

That's a fair point. I remember buying 'up' on a road bike for the color I preferred. So you're right there.

Maybe I think it lasts a shorter time because I was almost entirely apathetic towards which color I got this time around. I ended up with black (space grey) because that's what the store had when I got there.

Just like my bright white Sony Ericsson that I purchased 6-7 years ago, I'm looking to buy the gold iPhone mostly because it is highly visible in low-light situations.

Waking up, going to sleep, stumbling around in the dark, the gold phone will be a lot easier to locate than my current black one.