Apple would have planned an important overhaul for edition of the 20th anniversary of its iPhone range, which should be launched in September 2027.
A special pro model featuring more glass elements to mark the two decades of the iPhone is in development for the birthday, said A Bloomberg report. Apple should also launch a foldable iPhone alongside the rethought pro, but it is not clear if it would be the first or the second iteration. (The reports currently indicate a 2026 launch for a foldable iPhone.) Apple remains the only large manufacturer of smartphones without foldable device.
This 20th anniversary strategy could also help invigorate iPhone sales, which have been slow in recent months and could suffer under the new 125% tariff from Trump administration on China, where most components and iPhones are imported.
Meanwhile, the next iPhone 17 should now look like previous pro models. The iPhone Pro range has largely been the same since the beginnings of the iPhone 12 in 2020, when Apple introduced 5G compatibility, with changes over time, mainly limited to color updates and a titanium metal switch on the iPhone 15 Pro.
Apple did not respond to a request for comments.
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Bloomberg said that although the iPhone 17 Pro will always look like 16 pro, it will probably include a redesigned rear camera arrangement. The camera module should maintain its configuration with three objectives but be placed on a new panel that covers the entire width of the device with a single finish.
The apple should also introduce a model especially thinner, according to rumors Air iPhone 17.
How will the 20th anniversary iPhone be named?
We do not know how Apple will name its 20th anniversary iPhone, given that the 2027 version would technically consider an iPhone 19 label. The rate of the figures has moved over time as Apple experienced the names, such as the launch of the iPhone 4S in 2011, rather than calling it the iPhone 5 (the iPhone 5 was launched in 2012).
The company previously adjusted the names of name for significant moments, such as jumping the iPhone 9 and unveiling the iPhone X to mark its 10th anniversary – so in accordance with Roman numerals, the 20th anniversary model could potentially be called the iPhone XX.
The risk of waiting to rethink the iPhone
Dipanjan Chatterjee, vice-president and principal analyst of the Forrester market research company, described a overhaul of “double-edged sword sword”, considering that the design of the iPhone has not undergone any significant change for a certain time.
“A daring redesign for its birthday model looks like a wonderful idea until you realize that it is still in two years and that Apple has struggled to trigger the upgrade supercycle that will remain the stagnant growth of the iPhone that the company has known lately,” he said.
Chatterjee has recognized that Apple Intelligence has still not kept its promise to convert the older iPhone owners to subsequent compatible material.
“The temptation to wait even longer for a much improved 2027 design is likely to extend the upgrade cycle more,” he added.
The other risk, he said, is that some customers could opt for the cheaper iPhone 16 and wait a few years to buy the premium phone they really want.
