The year 2027 may feel like a log way away, but two years is nothing when it comes to Apple design rumours. As the 20th anniversary of the iPhone, it will be a special year for the Cupertino tech giant, and people are already expecting something big.
Back in 2017, the iPhone X was a landmark in smartphone evolution, introducing an all-screen display (OLED, no less) and face recognition. The pressure is on for Apple to match expectations with the iPhone 20 (or iPhone XX – the presumption is that it will skip the iPhone 19 like it did with the 9). The device will surely be one of the best camera phones, but you might want to start saving now.
I should clarify that despite the various parody videos doing the rounds on YouTube and TikTok showing iPhones with 15 lenses and woofers covering the back of the device, we know next to nothing about what the iPhone 20 will really look like.
Nevertheless, it sounds like Apple is working on something elaborate if the latest report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman is correct. The long-time Apple reporter says there are two iPhone 20 models in the works already and that their design will be "extraordinarily complex".
That already makes it sound like the phone could be expensive. But there's an added issue related to that complexity: the phone will apparently have to be made in China. That's despite rumours reported by the Financial Times that Apple is planning to move its iPhone assembly for the US market to India to to avoid the brunt of Donald Trump's import tariffs.
Gurman says the 20th anniversary iPhones will "require new parts and production techniques, making it far from a certainty that Apple will be able to build those outside of China. At some point, yes, but certainly not by the year 2027.”
An iPhone made in China wouldn't normally be news. Apple has long worked with Foxconn (Hon Hai), and all Apple product lines tend to see at least their first run made in China. But the current context could make this an issue for consumers.
The details of US trade tariffs against China (and other countries) continue to change on an almost daily basis, and it's impossible to say what the situation will be next week let alone by 2027. But if President Trump does press ahead with big tariffs on Chinese imports, a China-made iPhone 20 could cost a lot more than what we're used to paying for Apple smartphones.
As for the iPhone 20 design, I'm not sure how much credence to give the rumours doing the rounds so far. Gurman has said before that Apple is working on a “bold new Pro model that makes more extensive use of glass.”
There are suggestions that the phone may have a completely clean display, with no notch or dynamic island. This could only be achieved by putting the selfie camera and Face ID sensors under the screen. There are technical challenges here, but transparent OLED, deactivatable subpixels or optical layers could make it possible.
There are two other persistent claims about upcoming iPhone designs. The first is that this year's iPhone 17 range will see the introduction of an iPhone Air, bringing the Air branding from the iPad and MacBook to the smartphone. It's rumoured that this will be the thinnest iPhone to date.
Then, there are the longstanding rumours of a foldable iPhone or foldable iPad, which may or may not be the same thing. Both Gurman and regular Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo have suggested that a foldable Apple device with no crease on the display will be coming within the next couple of years.
Time will tell what Apple's working, and how much it will hurt our wallets. Let us know in the comments what you're hoping for. If you can't wait for the next release, see our guide to the best iPhone for photography. Or for an alternative as a much cheaper phone, check out Nothing's bold new CMF Phone 2 Pro.
