iPhone 18 Pro is coming, but iPhone 20 may be Apple's biggest redesign yet: 5 things to know

As Apple gets closer to launching its next flagship, the iPhone 18 Pro series, excitement among fans continues to build. At the same time, chatter around Apple's special 20th anniversary iPhone is also gaining momentum. The anniversary model is tipped to feature an all-new design along with several major upgrades. Here's everything leaked so far.The 20th anniversary iPhone is tipped to feature an all-glass design. (Photo: AI Generated)Apple's iPhone 18 series is just weeks away from taking the stage in September, expected to bring a fresh chipset, camera upgrades, and possibly the company's first foldable iPhone into the mix. But even before that lineup ships, attention is already shifting toward something further out on the horizon: the iPhone's 20th anniversary, and the special model Apple is reportedly building to mark it.Apple’s first iPhone went on sale in June 2007, so next June of 2027 would technically be the 20th anniversary of the iPhone. Apple, however, doesn't really do summer launches for its flagship phones, so the anniversary model is expected to arrive in its usual fall slot instead, much like the iPhone X did in 2017 for the device's 10th anniversary despite that same June launch quirk. And speaking of the iPhone X, Apple may once again skip a number entirely. Just as "iPhone 9" never existed because Apple jumped straight to the iPhone X, the 2027 anniversary model may skip "iPhone 19" altogether, with early rumours referring to it as either the "iPhone 20" or the "iPhone XX."A design unlike anything Apple has shipped beforeThe centrepiece of the rumoured anniversary iPhone is a curved, all-glass design with an edge-to-edge display and no visible cutouts. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the glass is expected to wrap around all four edges of the phone with very shallow "micro-curves," a more subtle approach than the aggressive waterfall edges seen on some Samsung phones. The goal appears to be a display that feels more natural to swipe on without distorting whatever is on screen, something Apple has reportedly been testing extensively in its supply chain.Face ID could disappear beneath the screenOne of the more anticipated changes is a move to under-display Face ID, where the infrared sensors needed for face unlock sit hidden beneath the panel itself using a specialised transparent glass window. This technology is expected to debut a year earlier on the iPhone 18 Pro, though display analyst Ross Young has suggested it may not be fully mature even by 2027, meaning a smaller Dynamic Island could still stick around on the anniversary model rather than disappearing completely. Buttons you can't actually pressApple is also said to be reviving a project internally known as "Project Bongo," which would replace the phone's physical Side button, volume buttons, Action button, and Camera Control with solid-state haptic equivalents built into the frame. These buttons are reportedly designed to work reliably with gloves on, wet hands, in extreme temperatures, and even with a case attached, and are said to remain functional through haptic feedback even if the phone's battery has completely died.A camera sensor Apple actually built itselfFor years, Apple has relied on Sony for the image sensors inside iPhone cameras. That may change with the anniversary model, which is rumoured to use a custom, Apple-designed stacked image sensor. The sensor reportedly uses LOFIC technology, letting individual pixels capture a wider range of light and potentially pushing dynamic range up to 20 stops, a meaningful jump that could translate into noticeably better photos in tricky lighting.Silicon battery Currently, Apple puts lithium-ion batteries inside iPhones. That is said to be change. Apple is reportedly planning to pair the new display with a pure silicon battery in order to improve power efficiency. This could provide a higher energy density than the current battery technology. It could also increase the battery capacity as well, as one leak earlier suggested the new iPhone 20 could carry a 6000mAh battery.With the launch still more than a year away, plenty of these details could shift before Apple actually takes the stage. But if even half of this comes true, the 20th anniversary iPhone looks set to be the kind of generational leap the iPhone X once was.- EndsPublished On: Jul 30, 2026 13:55 IST