Apple's 20th-Anniversary iPhone Could Bring Major Design Overhaul
Apple is reportedly planning a significant redesign for its 20th-anniversary iPhone, expected to launch in September 2027.
According to Bloomberg, the company is developing a special Pro model featuring more glass elements to mark its two decades of existence. The company is also expected to launch a foldable iPhone alongside the redesigned Pro, but it’s unclear if this would be the first or second iteration. (Reports currently point to a 2026 launch for a foldable iPhone.) Apple remains the only major smartphone manufacturer without a foldable device.
This anniversary-focused strategy could also help reinvigorate iPhone sales, which have been sluggish in recent months and may suffer under the Trump administration’s new tariffs.
In the meantime, the upcoming iPhone 17 is now expected to more closely resemble previous Pro models. The iPhone Pro lineup has looked largely the same since the iPhone 12’s debut in 2020, when Apple introduced 5G compatibility, with changes over time mostly limited to color updates and a metal switch to titanium on the iPhone 15 Pro.
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Bloomberg said that although the iPhone 17 Pro will still resemble the 16 Pro, it will feature a redesigned rear camera layout. The camera module is expected to maintain its three-lens setup but be placed on a new panel that spans the entire width of the device with a single-tone finish.
Apple is also expected to introduce a notably thinner model, rumored to be called the iPhone 17 Air.
It’s unclear how Apple will name its 20th-anniversary iPhone, given that the 2027 release would technically fall in line with an iPhone 19 label. The cadence of the numbers shifted over time as Apple experimented with the names, such as launching the iPhone 4S in 2011, rather than calling it the iPhone 5 (the iPhone 5 launched in 2012). The company has previously adjusted naming conventions for milestone moments, such as skipping the iPhone 9 and unveiling the iPhone X to mark its 10th anniversary.
