iPhone anniversary: All-screen remains wishful thinking

When a technological product turns 20, it's a moment that deserves attention. With the iPhone, which has shaped the smartphone world since 2007, Apple fans are watching closely to see what the company comes up with for its anniversary in 2027. Many were hoping for a completely new design—specifically, an iPhone with no visible notches or edges, a so-called all-screen model. However, new information now suggests that this won't be happening for the time being.

The rumor mill surrounding the iPhone's anniversary is in full swing. In May, Mark Gurman, a well-known reporter at Bloomberg, reported that Apple was planning an iPhone without notches in the display for 2027. He spoke of a device with particularly narrow screen bezels and curved glass sides – in other words, a smartphone with almost entirely glass. Ross Young, Vice President of Counterpoint Research and also known for reliable leaks about display technologies, has now contradicted this. In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), he says that the first iPhone with Face ID and a front camera completely under the display is not expected before 2030. This is a clear reversal from his earlier assessment, which had predicted the same development step for 2027.

The planned design – but with limitations

According to Gurman, Apple is indeed working on a new design. The 20th anniversary iPhone is expected to have narrower bezels and a display that extends over the edges of the device. The back is also expected to match this design—glass all around. A real eye-catcher, then. What's missing, however, according to Ross Young, is the major technological leap: a front-facing camera and a Face ID module that operate completely invisibly beneath the display. This technology isn't yet ready for production to be incorporated into a mass-produced product like the iPhone—at least not until 2027.

Why the technology is not yet ready

Young's reasoning is technically plausible. To place the camera and Face ID under the display, the display material must be translucent enough without compromising image quality. This is only possible to a limited extent with current OLED displays. While there are already some devices from other manufacturers with under-display cameras, the image quality is not yet at the level that Apple would accept. In addition, Face ID works with infrared – an area in which display materials are particularly sensitive. According to Young, it will take at least another five years until all of these challenges are resolved.

Previous disagreement: not the first time

The discrepancy between Gurman and Young is nothing new. A similar case occurred in early 2024. At that time, Young was the first to report that Apple had canceled the planned Micro-LED version of the Apple Watch Ultra. Gurman publicly contradicted this – in a now-deleted post on X, he wrote that he was looking forward to wearing a Micro-LED Apple Watch in a few years. A few weeks later, he retracted his statement and confirmed: The project had indeed been canceled. Whether history will repeat itself when it comes to the iPhone's anniversary remains to be seen. Currently, Gurman's statements about a nearly bezel-less iPhone in 2027 contradict Young's assessment that the true all-screen design will take even longer.

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No leap into the future: What the iPhone 2027 will really bring

If you were hoping for the perfect iPhone without annoying cutouts, notches, or dynamic islands, 2027 probably won't be your year. More likely, a model with a sleek, heavily redesigned case, slimmer bezels, and perhaps other design optimizations is coming. But according to current estimates, the major technological leaps under the display probably won't become apparent until 2030. That doesn't mean Apple is resting on its laurels. Even without an invisible front camera, the 2027 iPhone could be a technological advancement—just not quite as futuristic as many hoped. (Image: Shutterstock / Thaspol Sangsee)