It has been nearly ten years since the tenth anniversary model dropped the home button and reshaped how we use our phones. Now, Apple is gearing up to do it all over again in the fall of 2027. The highly anticipated iPhone 20 is shaping up to be the biggest design overhaul we have seen in a decade, arriving alongside its second-generation foldable model. This new anniversary edition will completely rethink the core look and feel of the device.
An all-glass curved body removes the harsh side edges
The most striking change is a heavy focus on glass. The new design is expected to feature a curved body without any cutouts in the display. The glass back will wrap smoothly around all four edges, moving closer to a true single slab of glass. Supply chain facilities have already started preparing for this production shift.
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Instead of sharp waterfall edges, the phone will use shallow micro-curves. This gentle shape prevents the screen from looking distorted and makes swiping from the edge feel much more natural. It might even rely on visual tricks and light refraction to make the frame look invisible, potentially marketing the screen as a Liquid Glass Display. The bezels are rumored to shrink to just 1.1mm around the screen.
The front screen might finally hide the camera and sensors
The front of the phone is where things get really interesting, though it is still the most uncertain part of the design. The company wants a completely clean front screen, which means moving Face ID and the selfie camera entirely under the glass.
Reports suggest a special micro-transparent glass window would let the infrared sensors see through the panel. If the technology is not completely ready by 2027, we might just see a smaller hole punch or a tiny version of the Dynamic Island currently expected on the iPhone 18 Pro instead of a perfectly hidden setup.
Two familiar sizes get an upgrade with extremely thin bezels
You can expect two main size options for the anniversary model. These will measure roughly 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches, matching the footprint of the iPhone 18 Pro Max and its smaller sibling.
However, because the bezels are expected to be incredibly thin, the larger model might actually be marketed as a 7-inch device. The frame holding it all together will likely be a thin polished band. While earlier rumors suggested a return to titanium or liquid metal, aluminum might be the only practical choice to help manage the heat generated by on-device processing.
Haptic buttons replace all moving mechanical switches on the side
Physical buttons are likely going away. The device is expected to revive an old effort to replace the side, volume, action, and camera buttons with solid-state haptic versions. These buttons will not physically move when you press them.
Dropping actual mechanical buttons makes perfect sense for a phone designed to look like one continuous piece of glass. Tests show these haptic buttons still work perfectly if you are wearing gloves, have wet hands, or put a case on the phone. An ultra-low-energy processor will keep the buttons functioning even when the battery is completely dead.
The next few years will clearly bring massive changes to the iPhone lineup. If these design leaks hold true, the 2027 model will completely change how we interact with our pocket screens and set a new standard for the entire smartphone industry.
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