Archive · 11 Aug 2026
Report: 2027 anniversary iPhones set for glass-heavy redesign
Apple makes iPhones.
The very first iPhone came out about 20 years ago, so 2027 will be the iPhone's 20th birthday.
To celebrate, Apple wants to change how the iPhone looks.
A reporter named Mark Gurman says Apple is planning a new design with lots of glass.
The new phone would have glass on the front, the back, and the sides, with a thin metal band in the middle.
Apple wanted to make an iPhone that was almost all glass, but it was too hard to build, so they kept some metal.
Some other experts thought Apple had given up on the glassy design, but Gurman says it is still happening and on schedule.
Before that, in September 2026, Apple plans to release its first folding iPhone and new iPhone 18 Pro phones.
A new Apple boss, John Ternus, starts on September 1.
Apple is reportedly planning a major glass-heavy redesign for its iPhone Pro models arriving in 2027, marking the iPhone's 20th anniversary.
The designs, internally known as V73 and V74, use curved glass on the front, back, and sides, held together by a slim metal band.
A more ambitious all-glass concept was abandoned due to manufacturing challenges, particularly joining glass sections and mass-production suitability.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman report contradicts Jefferies analyst Edison Lee's claim that Apple cancelled the all-glass iPhone, with Lee downgrading Apple stock.
Apple is expected to launch its first foldable iPhone alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in September 2026.
- Who
- Apple, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Jefferies analyst Edison Lee, and incoming Apple CEO John Ternus
- What
- Apple is reportedly planning a glass-heavy redesign for its 2027 iPhone Pro anniversary models, though a more extreme all-glass concept was dropped
- When
- The anniversary models are expected in 2027, two decades after the first iPhone; the iPhone 18 Pro series and first foldable iPhone are expected in September 2026
- Where
- Apple is based in Cupertino; Apple shares fell in New York trading following the Jefferies report
- Why
- To give the flagship iPhone a more substantial visual change for its 20th anniversary while balancing design ambitions with manufacturing constraints
Glass-heavy redesign on track
All-glass iPhone cancelled
Apple's 2027 anniversary iPhone design
Glass-heavy redesign on track
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports Apple has not dropped plans for a glass-heavy iPhone, with V73 and V74 models using curved glass on front, back, and sides; only the more extreme all-glass concept was shelved, and the project remains on schedule for 2027.
All-glass iPhone cancelled
Jefferies analyst Edison Lee said supply-chain checks indicated Apple cancelled the all-glass iPhone, and he downgraded Apple stock on concerns that losing the high-end design could make premium pricing harder.
- Company
- Apple
- Product
- iPhone Pro models (20th anniversary redesign)
- Internal codenames
- V73 and V74
- Expected arrival
- 2027
- Design
- Curved glass on front, back, and sides with a metal band
- Abandoned concept
- All-glass iPhone (manufacturing challenges)
- Upcoming launch
- iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max with first foldable iPhone, September 2026; standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2 in spring/early 2027
- Stock reaction
- Apple shares fell as much as 2.8% in New York on Monday
- CEO transition
- John Ternus takes over as Apple chief executive on September 1
