Max Headroom 
Apple’s 20th anniversary iPhone is expected to arrive in the fall of 2027 with the most significant design overhaul the device has seen since the iPhone X.
In many ways, the device is expected to repeat the story of the iPhone X, which marked the device’s 10th anniversary in 2017 by dropping the Home button and introducing an edge-to-edge display. The 2027 model is rumored to overhaul the design language that has defined the iPhone ever since, and will likely set the template for the years that follow. The device is highly likely to launch in the fall of 2027 alongside the second generation foldable iPhone.
All-Glass Design With Curved Display
Glass is at the center of the redesign. Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman described a mostly glass, curved iPhone without any cutouts in the display, with a return to a glass back and curved glass that wraps around all four edges of the device. It would be the clearest expression yet of former design chief Jony Ive’s ambition for an iPhone that resembles a single slab of glass. Facilities in Apple’s supply chain have reportedly completed renovations ahead of production, with build quality said to be comparable to that of the first-generation iPhone Air.
Rather than the aggressive “waterfall” edges that Samsung used on its Galaxy phones for years, Apple is said to be seeking an equal-depth quad-curved panel that keeps the curve very shallow, using so-called “micro-curves” rather than a deep roll onto the sides. The gentler shape could make swipes from the edge of the display feel more natural, prevent distortion of on-screen content, and help the device feel softer in the hand.
The effect may rely on more than physical curvature alone. Leaker “Ice Universe” suggested it is unlike traditional quad-curved displays or the curved screens seen on Android phones, and could depend on a combination of optical refraction, light-guiding structures, and carefully engineered visual illusion to make the frame recede from view. Apple may reflect the theme in its branding, with one report claiming it could market the panel as a “Liquid Glass Display,” echoing its current software design language. One unverified mock-up, shared by an account with an unproven track record, depicted a bezel of just 1.1mm around the display, compared to approximately 1.44mm on the iPhone 17 Pro.
No Dynamic Island?
The front of the device remains the most uncertain aspect of the design. Apple reportedly wants to achieve a front with no cutouts at all, moving both the Face ID system and the selfie camera beneath the display, with one report describing a “spliced micro-transparent glass” window that would let Face ID’s infrared sensors pass through the panel. DSCC’s Ross Young has said the technology is unlikely to be fully ready for 2027, however, and while Apple is still testing an under-screen camera, it seems likely that a small hole-punch or a reduced version of the smaller Dynamic Island expected on iPhone 18 Pro models could remain.
Two Size Options
Apple is reportedly planning two anniversary models at roughly 6.3 and 6.9 inches, matching the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, but the larger one could be fractionally larger and marketed as a 7-inch device owing to its slimmer bezels.
Thin Polished Frame
The frame is expected to be a thin polished band, though its material remains uncertain. Some rumors point to a departure from the aluminum used on Apple’s current models, but leaker Fixed Focus Digital has pushed back on claims that Apple is preparing a return to titanium or a switch to Liquid Metal, arguing that aluminum remains the only practical choice for now given the heat generated by on-device AI processing. The same leaker has described aluminum as the material for “straight-edged” phones specifically, a distinction that leaves room for a different approach on the curved-edge anniversary model.
Haptic Buttons
Apple is also rumored to be revisiting solid-state haptic buttons for the device. The company is said to be reviving the long-shelved “Project Bongo” effort to replace the mechanical Side button, volume buttons, Action button, and Camera Control with haptic equivalents integrated into the frame, with zero physical movement when pressed.
Doing away with the physical openings that mechanical buttons require would suit a device intended to look like an unbroken piece of glass, and the buttons have reportedly passed tests for use with gloves, wet hands, extreme temperatures, and with a case fitted. An ultra-low energy microprocessor is said to keep them working even when the handset is powered off or the battery has run out.
This article, “Here’s What the ‘iPhone 20’ is Expected to Look Like” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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