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For months, there has been great anticipation surrounding the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027. Rumors have repeatedly surfaced of a radical redesign that Apple is supposedly planning to mark this milestone. At the heart of these rumors is an iPhone with a true all-screen design, completely without a notch, punch-hole, or dynamic island. However, new statements from the display industry now significantly temper these assumptions and paint a different picture of the iPhone's future.
Rumors and predictions have been part of the iPhone's history since the first generation. Hardly any other Apple product is discussed so early and so intensely. Expectations rise particularly high around milestone anniversaries. The 10th anniversary brought a completely new design with the iPhone X. Accordingly, the pressure is high on Apple to deliver something special again in 2027. But there is often more time between vision and technical reality than early leaks would suggest.
All-screen vision for the anniversary iPhone
Last May, Mark Gurman of Bloomberg reported that Apple was working on an iPhone made almost entirely of glass. The goal: a device without any visible notches in the display. Face ID and the front camera would disappear completely under the screen. For many, this statement was an indication that this very design could become a reality for the iPhone's 20th anniversary.
Ross Young dampens expectations
However, new assessments from Ross Young contradict this scenario. The former vice president of Counterpoint Research commented on Apple's display plans on X and clarified previous statements.
Young believes that while Apple is working on a smaller Dynamic Island, it will remain in use longer than previously thought. He expects a revised version to be featured in the iPhone 18 Pro models this fall. In his estimation, this smaller Dynamic Island will still be part of the design in 2027.
No true all-screen iPhone before 2030?
In further answers, Young became even more explicit. He anticipates that even the iPhone Pro models will still have a centered display cutout in 2028. This will likely remain integrated within the smaller Dynamic Island. He doesn't expect a completely notch-free iPhone with a true all-screen design until 2030.
This assessment aligns with a roadmap that Young published back in June 2025. It outlined a clear timeline according to which Apple plans several intermediate steps before all sensors and cameras disappear permanently and invisibly beneath the display.
Contradiction to Gurman or outdated information?
Should Young's predictions prove correct, Gurman's statements would at least need to be re-evaluated chronologically. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that Gurman's information is incorrect. It's also possible that Apple's development progress has accelerated since then.
Supply chains and production plans change regularly. Apple might be further along with integrating Face ID and the front camera under the display than current sources from the display industry suggest. In that case, an earlier all-screen iPhone would be technically feasible after all.
Possible special edition for the anniversary
Another plausible explanation would be a special anniversary iPhone positioned above the existing Pro line. Apple already used this approach in 2017 when the iPhone X was introduced alongside the iPhone 8. The actual Pro models didn't follow until years later with the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Applied to 2027, this could mean Apple unveils an exclusive iPhone for its 20th anniversary, featuring the all-screen design described by Gurman. At the same time, the regular iPhone Pro models would continue to be equipped with a smaller Dynamic Island display.
Outlook on the upcoming iPhone generations
In the short term, attention is focused on this fall. Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max then. These models are expected to mark the next evolutionary step in display design, though without completely eliminating visible notches.
The iPhone celebrating its 20th anniversary will most likely be released in the fall of 2027. Its final appearance remains to be seen. What is certain is that Apple will continue to gradually refine the iPhone and carefully prepare for major design leaps.
iPhone 2027: High expectations, many open questions
The iPhone's 20th anniversary remains one of the most exciting Apple topics of the coming years. While early reports suggested a radical all-screen design, current assessments from the display industry point to a longer transition. Whether Apple takes the plunge in 2027 or releases such an iPhone later depends less on rumors than on technological maturity and production reliability. Until then, the iPhone remains a product where evolution and revolution are closely intertwined. (Image: Shutterstock / Dontree_M)
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