Apple likes symbolic anniversaries. In 2017, for the iPhone’s tenth birthday, the company launched the iPhone X, a model that removed the Home button, introduced Face ID, and pushed Apple into the edge-to-edge display era. Ten years later, the same kind of moment could happen again with what many are already calling the iPhone 20, or iPhone XX, even though the final commercial name is obviously still far from confirmed.
The timing fits perfectly: 2027 will mark twenty years since the first iPhone. And according to the latest rumors, Apple may not be preparing just another yearly update with a faster chip and a few camera tweaks. This sounds more like a real change in shape and identity, with an iPhone much closer to Jony Ive’s long-standing dream: an almost continuous slab of glass, with no obvious interruption, no notch, no large Dynamic Island, and borders that almost disappear.
A design that is almost all glass
The most striking point concerns the body. Apple is reportedly working on an iPhone with a mainly glass design, paired with a display curved on all four sides. To be clear, this would not necessarily mean a return to the very aggressive “waterfall” screens used by some Android phones a few years ago. The idea would be more subtle: micro-curves, soft enough to improve the grip and make the bezels look almost invisible, without distorting the image or making touch gestures annoying.
That is where the project becomes interesting. Apple has never been obsessed with spectacular spec-sheet changes just for the sake of it. When the company changes a design element, it rarely does so only to tick a box. If this anniversary iPhone really adopts a very slight quad-curved display, the goal will probably be to create a feeling of continuity: the screen, the back glass, and the frame should almost blend into a single object.
In spirit, this would be the natural successor to the iPhone X, not just its marketing heir.
The end of the Dynamic Island? Not so fast
The big dream, of course, is a truly full-screen iPhone. No notch. No hole-punch. No Dynamic Island. Just a clean, uninterrupted panel, almost unreal at first glance.
To get there, Apple would need to place Face ID and the front camera under the display. Technically, that is anything but simple. Face ID’s infrared sensors must remain reliable, fast, secure, and usable in very different lighting conditions. The under-display selfie camera also has to shoot through an OLED panel without producing soft or washed-out images. Some Android smartphones already use this kind of technology, but photo quality is often still a step behind.
This is probably the most uncertain part of the future iPhone 20. Apple may indeed be aiming for a display with no visible cutout, but the final model could still keep a small hole-punch or a much smaller version of the Dynamic Island. It would be less spectacular, yes, but more realistic if under-display technology has not yet reached Apple’s expected quality level.
Two sizes and an even more immersive screen
Rumors point to two formats, around 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches, with the larger model possibly being presented as an iPhone close to 7 inches thanks to extremely thin bezels. On paper, that may sound huge. In the hand, everything will depend on the screen ratio, weight, and curve of the body.
What feels believable is that Apple wants to increase usable screen space without turning the iPhone into a small tablet. Current Pro Max models are already close to that limit. A more immersive display, yes. A device that becomes tiring to hold after ten minutes, no. Apple knows that very well.
Another persistent rumor: the return of haptic buttons. Apple had already worked on this idea with the so-called Project Bongo before putting it aside. On the anniversary iPhone, traditional mechanical buttons could be replaced by pressure-sensitive areas built into the frame, with haptic feedback simulating a real press.
This change would fit very naturally with a “glass block” design. Fewer openings, fewer moving parts, a cleaner line. On paper, it is elegant. In real life, everything will depend on the feeling. A poorly executed haptic button quickly feels like pressing a dead surface. Apple will therefore need to recreate that tiny psychological click that convinces your finger something has actually moved.
My take
At this stage, caution is needed. The iPhone 20 has not been announced, and Apple’s plans can change several times before 2027. Still, the overall direction feels coherent: Apple seems to be preparing an aesthetic break, not a transition generation.
What I like about these rumors is that they finally talk about design in the strongest sense of the word. In recent years, the iPhone has evolved very well, but often through small touches: a better sensor, thinner bezels, a faster chip, titanium, USB-C, the Action button. All of that matters, but the “wow” effect has faded a little. An anniversary iPhone with a true borderless screen, a more continuous glass body, and invisible buttons could give the lineup back that feeling of the future that the iPhone X managed to create.
The real question is the most important one: will Apple make this design as practical as it is beautiful? Because a stunning iPhone that is fragile, slippery, or hard to protect would quickly lose part of its magic. The real challenge for the iPhone 20 will not simply be to look like a futuristic glass slab. It will be to remain an iPhone that works comfortably every day, without irritating compromises.
FAQ
Is the iPhone 20 official?
No. Apple has not announced an iPhone 20. The name is currently used by media outlets and leakers to refer to the anniversary model expected in 2027.
When could this anniversary iPhone launch?
The most commonly mentioned window is fall 2027, twenty years after the launch of the first iPhone.
Will it really have a display without Dynamic Island?
That appears to be the supposed goal, but it is not guaranteed. Apple could still keep a small cutout if under-display Face ID and camera technology are not ready.
Why is this model so highly anticipated?
Because it could mark the biggest design change since the iPhone X, with a more immersive display, an almost all-glass body, and haptic buttons.
I'm Clémentine Pithon, and as a technology enthusiast, I write articles to guide you through the world of refurbished devices. My goal is simple: to help you make informed choices, understand the products, and get the most out of them every day. Tips, explanations, and practical advice are at the heart of my articles.
