Apple turns 20 in the smartphone business in 2027, and the company is already tied to a “milestone iPhone” that aims to look and feel like a generational reset. The central idea across reports stays consistent: Apple wants a cleaner front, fewer interruptions in the display area, and a body that leans harder into glass.
Lately, the story has gained an important caveat. Some early talk described a truly cutout-free, all-screen iPhone for 2027. Newer commentary from display analyst Ross Young suggests Apple may still need more time, which would leave at least a smaller “Dynamic Island” style cutout in place for the anniversary cycle.
Either way, the 2027 iPhone looks set to prioritize three things: a new display approach, a new front sensor layout, and a more seamless exterior with fewer moving parts.
Expected timing and positioning
Most rumors say the anniversary iPhone will be in Apple’s usual fall window in 2027, aligned with the iPhone’s original 2007 debut.
At the same time, a separate thread suggests Apple may adjust its broader iPhone release cadence to accommodate more models, including a foldable iPhone. If Apple expands the lineup and staggers launches, the “anniversary” device can still land in fall 2027 as the headline model, even if other variants shift around it.
Name: iPhone 20 is the leading guess
Several reports say Apple may skip “iPhone 19” and brand the 2027 lineup as “iPhone 20,” echoing the iPhone X naming jump in 2017, which would give us the iPhone XX in 2027.
That is not confirmed, but it fits Apple’s past pattern of using a milestone year to reset expectations.
Design: bezel-less ambition, with a new debate about cutouts
The most aggressive version of the rumor describes an iPhone that looks like a single slab of glass with the display flowing to the edges, sometimes described as a “four-sided bending” OLED design that reduces or eliminates visible bezels.
But the newest signal worth taking seriously: a full, cutout-free front in 2027 now looks less certain. Ross Young’s recent comments point to a timeline where Apple keeps a smaller Dynamic Island in 2026 and 2027, moves to a centered hole punch later, and reaches a truly uninterrupted front closer to 2030.
What that means in plain terms:
- Bezel reduction still looks likely.
- A totally cutout-free front in 2027 is now contested, with credible voices arguing it slips beyond the anniversary year.
Display tech: CoE OLED is a recurring claim
One of the more technical details that keeps surfacing is Apple’s interest in CoE (Color Filter on Encapsulation) OLED panels for the 2027 timeframe. CoE gets discussed as a way to make the display stack thinner and improve brightness and efficiency, which also supports thinner device designs.
This display push appears tied to supply-chain competition. Reporting frames it as a race between Samsung Display and LG Display to meet Apple’s manufacturing needs for a more complex panel design.
Rumored display-related details
- CoE OLED discussed as a candidate for thinner and brighter panels in the 2027 window.
- “Four-sided bending” OLED is discussed as a path toward a bezel-less look.
- Supply chain chatter that LG Display is investing to be ready for a more demanding 2027 iPhone panel program, including figures around 400 billion won (roughly $270 million) in some write-ups.
Face ID and the selfie camera: under-display plans, shifting timelines
The anniversary iPhone rumors often hinge on one promise: hide more of the front sensor stack under the display.
A widely repeated roadmap goes like this:
- Under-display Face ID begins appearing before 2027, often linked to the iPhone 18 Pro generation.
- Under-display selfie camera follows, enabling a cleaner front.
- Both converge in the anniversary model, producing the most uninterrupted front Apple can ship.
The complication is the same one now hanging over the whole design story. Ross Young’s more conservative timeline suggests Apple will not fully bury both Face ID and the camera under the panel by 2027, which implies the anniversary iPhone may still have a small cutout, even if it is meaningfully smaller than today’s Dynamic Island.
What the rumor mill claims about the front
- 2027 iPhone described in some reports as having an “invisible” selfie camera under the display.
- Other reporting, including the latest Ross Young commentary, says a smaller cutout remains for at least 2027.
Buttons: solid-state haptics keep coming up
A separate design thread focuses on the sides of the phone, not the front. Multiple reports claim Apple is exploring replacing mechanical buttons with solid-state buttons that simulate a click via localized haptic feedback. The pitch is familiar: fewer moving parts, better sealing against water and dust, and potentially a more consistent feel over time.
Rumored button changes
- Mechanical volume and power buttons replaced by solid-state controls with haptics.
- The concept may extend to other controls, depending on how Apple evolves its side and camera controls in the next few cycles.
How the anniversary iPhone fits into Apple’s wider 2026 to 2027 roadmap
Several roadmaps describe Apple widening the iPhone lineup by 2027, with a foldable iPhone joining the mix. In that scenario, the “20th anniversary” device becomes the statement piece in a more complex family, rather than the only headliner.
This matters because it explains why some tech might debut elsewhere first. If Apple ships under-display components in steps, it can validate them in one model line, then combine them in the anniversary iPhone later.
Most credible rumors today
- Apple targets a major redesign for 2027, tied to the iPhone’s 20th anniversary.
- The phone likely pushes a more bezel-less front, driven by advanced OLED packaging such as CoE and more aggressive edge treatments.
- The “true all-screen, no cutout” dream is now in dispute, with a credible timeline suggesting it lands closer to 2030.
- Solid-state haptic buttons remain a persistent rumor for the 2027 era, aligning with the broader “fewer moving parts” design direction.
- Naming as “iPhone 20” is plausible and widely discussed, but still only a report.
Summary
The 20th Anniversary iPhone, expected in 2027, points toward Apple’s next big design swing: a more glass-forward body, a more edge-to-edge display, and a push to hide Face ID and the selfie camera under the panel. The freshest reporting adds a reality check. Apple may deliver a dramatically smaller cutout in 2027, not a fully uninterrupted screen. If the company also adopts solid-state haptic buttons and CoE OLED improvements, the anniversary iPhone still lands as a clear design break, even if the true “all-screen” finish line arrives later.
