No, Apple Has Not Scrapped the 20th Anniversary iPhone Redesign

Apple is still planning a major redesign for its iPhone line to mark the device’s 20th anniversary, despite recent reports suggesting the project was scrapped.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman on Monday evening, citing sources familiar with the company’s plans, Apple is developing new iPhone Pro models for release next year that feature a fresh, glassy design. Known internally as V73 and V74, the upcoming devices will feature glass on the front and back that curves into the sides, anchored by a central metal frame.

While an earlier, more ambitious design proposal from Apple’s design team called for an almost entirely glass body without a metal structure, that idea was shelved early in development due to manufacturing challenges. Apple ran into issues joining the glass panels together reliably at mass-production scale, according to Gurman’s sources.

The update directly refutes a recent research note from Jefferies analyst Edison Lee,which claimed the all-glass concept was axed based on supply chain checks. Gurman reports that Apple’s product roadmap remains unchanged, as designs for flagship iPhones are typically finalized about a year in advance. Because testing for the 2027 anniversary lineup is already well underway, the general design direction is largely locked in.

Before the anniversary models arrive, Apple is preparing a major refresh for its upcoming product cycle. Next month’s launch is expected to feature Apple’s first foldable iPhone, along with the iPhone 18 Pro lineup showcasing upgraded camera systems and a new dark red colour option.

Follow-up releases planned for next spring include the standard iPhone 18, an entry-level 18e, and a refreshed second-generation iPhone Air equipped with a second camera, improved battery life, and a faster processor. So yup, that means this fall only the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and the new foldable iPhone will debut first, before a larger spring product debut.