27th July 2026 – (Cupertino) Apple is expected to mark the iPhone’s 20th anniversary in autumn 2027 with a major design overhaul, featuring a curved all‑glass body, revamped buttons, and potential under‑display sensors.
Apple is understood to be planning its most sweeping iPhone redesign since 2017’s iPhone X, with a 20th‑anniversary model pencilled in for an autumn 2027 launch alongside a second‑generation foldable. Reports suggest the handset will echo the disruptive leap of the iPhone X by redefining the device’s silhouette and interface, likely setting the design language for years to come.
The centrepiece is said to be an all‑glass aesthetic with shallow curvature on every edge and a return to a glass back, an evolution some insiders link to Jony Ive’s long‑standing ambition for a phone that appears hewn from a single slab. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has described a mostly glass device with a display free of visible cutouts, while supply chain facilities are reportedly retooled and build quality likened to the first‑generation iPhone Air. Rather than Samsung‑style “waterfall” edges, Apple is believed to prefer subtle “micro‑curves” to soften in‑hand feel, reduce image distortion at the margins and make edge swipes more natural.
The visual effect may rely on more than hardware alone. Well‑known leaker Ice Universe has hinted that Apple could combine optical refraction, light‑guiding structures and carefully tuned visual cues to make the frame recede, potentially under a marketing term such as “Liquid Glass Display.” One unverified mock‑up has suggested bezels of around 1.1mm, narrower than those rumoured for top‑end models in the near term, though such details remain speculative.
What appears on the front remains the biggest unknown. Apple is reportedly striving for a wholly uninterrupted display by moving Face ID components and the selfie camera under the screen, with talk of micro‑transparent glass to allow infrared sensing. Display analyst Ross Young has cautioned that fully mature under‑panel camera and sensor technology may not be ready by 2027, leaving room for a small hole‑punch or a trimmed‑down version of the Dynamic Island to persist.
Two sizes are expected, roughly 6.3 and 6.9 inches, mirroring Apple’s current Pro dimensions. Thanks to slimmer borders, the larger variant could be marketed as a 7‑inch class device despite only a fractional increase in actual panel area.
Around the perimeter, Apple is said to be testing a thin, polished band, with the final material yet to be settled. While some rumours point to shifts away from aluminium, leaker Fixed Focus Digital argues aluminium remains the most practical option given the thermal demands of on‑device AI, adding that previous titanium or Liquidmetal talk may be premature or specific to straight‑edged designs rather than this curved‑edge anniversary model.
Apple is also thought to be reviving plans for solid‑state haptics in place of mechanical buttons, resurrecting the long‑mooted “Project Bongo.” The approach would replace the Side, volume, Action and Camera Control buttons with capacitive inputs that deliver tactile feedback without physical travel, supporting use with gloves, wet hands, cases and extreme temperatures. An ultra‑low‑power controller is reportedly designed to keep these controls responsive even when the phone is off or the battery is depleted, aligning with the vision of an uninterrupted glass form.