Apple’s long-rumored 20th-anniversary iPhone redesign may not be dead after all. Following early-morning claims that the company had abandoned its plans for an all-glass iPhone, a fresh report now says the project is still on track for next year’s Pro models. The conflicting reports have left Apple watchers trying to figure out which version of events is accurate, and what it means for the company’s next major product cycle.
Conflicting reports create confusion
Early in the day, a well-known analyst firm downgraded Apple’s stock and cut its price target, citing supply chain checks that suggested Apple had scrapped plans for an all-glass iPhone meant to celebrate the device’s 20th anniversary. That news quickly made the rounds, with many considering it a major setback for Apple’s efforts to sell even more premium iPhones.
But later, a separate report contradicted that assessment, claiming that Apple’s product road map hasn’t changed. According to that report, the company expects to launch iPhone Pro models next year with a "glassy look." The new phones, known internally as V73 and V74, will use glass on both the front and back, and the material will curve into the sides of the devices, with a metal band in the middle.
The report acknowledges that the project has changed since it was first conceived. A more aspirational version, championed by Apple’s design studio, would have used even more glass and less metal. But that concept was scrapped early on because Apple ran into problems connecting the glass panels together. The design didn’t hold up when the company had to figure out how to produce it at large volumes, according to people familiar with the matter.
The all-glass dream hits production reality
Apple’s design team is known for pushing boundaries, but manufacturing constraints often force compromises. The original all-glass concept was a bold vision: an iPhone that looked like a seamless glass slab, with no visible metal frame. Such a design would have been striking, but it posed significant technical challenges. Joining large glass panels without visible seams or weak points is difficult, and the structural integrity required for a daily-use smartphone is hard to achieve with glass alone.
Reports of poor production yields are common when Apple explores new materials and manufacturing methods. In this case, the issue was connecting the glass panels. Glass is brittle, and when two panels meet at an edge, the joint can become a stress point. Apple has dealt with similar issues before, perhaps most notably with the iPhone 4’s antenna bands and the iPhone X’s stainless steel frame. Those devices required innovative engineering to overcome production problems.
The revised design, with glass curving into the sides and a metal band in the middle, is less radical but still visually distinct. It echoes the iPhone 8 and iPhone SE’s glass backs, but the curve into the sides would be new for recent models. The metal band would provide structural support, allowing the glass panels to be thinner and more elegant.
A timeline of iPhone redesigns
The iPhone has undergone several major redesigns since its debut in 2007. The original iPhone combined a plastic-backed aluminum body with a 3.5-inch screen. The iPhone 3G and 3GS switched to a plastic back. The iPhone 4 introduced the iconic glass-and-stainless-steel sandwich, which was controversial due to antenna issues but eventually became one of the most recognizable designs in tech.
The iPhone 5 brought an aluminum body, and the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus introduced rounded edges and a much larger screen. The iPhone X, launched in 2017 to mark the tenth anniversary, was a major departure: it removed the home button, introduced Face ID, and featured a nearly edge-to-edge OLED display with a notch. That design language survived, with some updates, through the iPhone 14 series.
The iPhone 15 and 16 lines brought titanium frames, a USB-C port, and the Dynamic Island, but the overall shape remained familiar. Now, the 20th-anniversary redesign is expected to be another major shift, though not as extreme as the original all-glass concept. If the new report is accurate, the 2027 iPhone Pro models will look noticeably different from current devices, with a seamless glass-and-metal body that sets them apart.
Why the cancellation rumor mattered to investors
The earlier cancellation rumor had a tangible effect on Apple’s stock. The analyst firm downgraded Apple’s shares and cut its price target from $285.56 to $263.66. That was the second cut in a little over a week, following a reduction from $308.92 on July 31. The latter came after Apple reported its fiscal Q3 2026 earnings and issued cautious guidance for Q4.
Investors were already worried about rising memory costs and the difficulty of raising iPhone prices. An all-glass iPhone, with a more premium look, would have given Apple a reason to charge even more for its Pro models. If that design was canceled, Apple would lose an opportunity to increase the average selling price and protect its profit margins. That’s why the rumor resonated so strongly with the market.
The new report, however, suggests the situation is not as dire as the analyst firm described. If the redesign remains on track, Apple may still be able to introduce higher-priced Pro models next year, even if the design is not as glass-heavy as originally envisioned. The glassy look, with its curved edges and metal band, could still be enough to justify a premium price.
The role of manufacturing and supply chains
Supply chain checks are an imperfect science. Analysts often rely on information from component suppliers, assemblers, and other partners to predict Apple’s plans. These checks can be accurate, but they can also be misleading, especially when Apple is evaluating multiple designs in parallel. It is not uncommon for Apple to prototype several versions of a product before settling on one for mass production.
The fact that one version was scrapped does not mean the entire project is canceled. In this case, the aspirational all-glass design was reportedly abandoned early, but the more achievable glass-and-metal design survived. The confusion may have arisen because analysts learned about the scrapped version and assumed it meant the whole redesign was dead.
Production yields are always a concern when new materials are involved. Glass front and back panels are already used in many iPhones, but curving them into the sides is more complex. Apple will need to find a way to bend the glass without weakening it, and to ensure that the metal band can be seamlessly integrated. These are significant engineering challenges, but Apple has a history of overcoming them.
Looking ahead to the 20th anniversary
The iPhone has sold billions of units since its introduction, and the 20th anniversary is a major milestone. Apple has been expected to mark the occasion with something special, and the redesigned Pro models are likely to be the centerpiece. The devices are expected to launch in September 2027, along with new versions of the standard iPhone and possibly other products.
If the redesign stays on track, the 2027 Pro iPhones will feature a new glassy aesthetic that differentiates them from their predecessors. The front and back glass will curve into the sides, creating a more seamless look, and the metal band in the middle will provide structural rigidity. This design is reminiscent of some earlier iPhone models, but modernized with current materials and manufacturing techniques.
The question now is whether there will be any further changes between now and the official launch. Product development is fluid, and Apple often makes last-minute adjustments. But for now, the report says Apple’s product road map hasn’t changed, which means the 20th-anniversary redesign is still on track.
Apple is expected to announce its 20th-anniversary iPhone lineup in September 2027, with the new design likely to be the centerpiece of the company’s next major product cycle.
Source: 9to5Mac News