iPhone 20 Could Feature an All-Glass Design as Apple Reportedly Prepares Supply Chain for 2027 Launch
- Utshab Biswas
- 35 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Apple's 20th anniversary iPhone could mark the biggest design transformation since the iPhone X, with a new report suggesting supply chain preparations are already underway.
Apple is likely to announce the new iPhone 17 range months later, but all eyes are now on something that has the potential to be the most daring iPhones of all time. As per reports from MacRumors, the suppliers for Apple have been busy renovating their facilities in anticipation of manufacturing the iPhone 20, which is rumored to be a special edition celebrating the 20th birthday of the iPhone in 2027.
It is now being claimed by a Weibo-based leaker Fixed Focus Digital that Apple's direction is towards an all-glass iPhone with a unique design that hasn’t been seen in any other iPhones of the company.
Apple Could Bring Back Glass in a Completely New Way
Instead of merely putting glass on the front and back plates of the device, the report implies that Apple is trying to create a product where glass becomes an integral structural material. The idea fits with earlier reports about an undisturbed curve which envelops the phone edges into a single surface.
As per the leaker, factories in the supply chain associated with Apple have already been renovated and are now waiting for machining to commence. Though the supplier is not mentioned, one potential partner of Apple who can be expected to take part in this process is Lens Technology, an Apple vendor which manufactures glass for iPhones.
In case all of this turns out to be true, it means that Apple has already begun building the production base for its next huge redesign of the iPhone.
Supply Chain Preparations Have Reportedly Begun
Apple generally delays the start of mass production just a few weeks before the release of its iPhones. According to rumors, the production process for the new model iPhone 17 started during the summer season, with the actual manufacturing process set to take place right before its September launch.
However, designing an entirely new product may take many years of preparation. There may be times when there would be a need to upgrade production machines, lines, and plants even years prior to the actual manufacturing process.
These renovations seem to prove the theory that Apple has already started developing its 20th anniversary iPhone.
The latest supply chain leak resembles previous information provided by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
As stated by Bloomberg, Apple will be designing an iPhone, which is primarily made of glass with curved edges and no display cutouts, to celebrate its 20th anniversary in September 2027.
In such a scenario, Dynamic Island might even become completely unnecessary because Face ID technology and the front camera can be placed underneath the screen, thus allowing Apple to fulfill its dream of developing an all-screen iPhone.
It is worth mentioning that although Apple has not made an official statement regarding these plans, previous leaks during the past year have consistently supported the idea of radical changes.
Until the iPhone 20 Arrives
Remarkably, Fixed Focus Digital also touched upon the rumors about the material for future iPhones. Previously it was thought that in the next generation of Pro-series iPhones Apple might use either liquid metal or a reinforced version of titanium alloy instead of aluminum. Nevertheless, the tipster refuted these reports explaining that aluminum is currently the most convenient material for modern iPhones because of the need to manage heat, as Apple keeps adding AI features to its gadgets.
Thus, according to the publication, the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro is expected to feature aluminum frame, as it was introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro, while some other construction could appear only on the iPhone 20, which is entirely different from the previous models. The latter iPhone is planned as an anniversary product.
When Could the iPhone 20 Launch?
Based on current reports, Apple is expected to release several iPhone generations before introducing the anniversary model.
The anticipated roadmap includes:
iPhone 17 series in 2026
iPhone 18 lineup in 2027
iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2 during spring 2027
iPhone 20 in September 2027 as Apple's flagship anniversary smartphone
Although the launch remains more than a year away, supply chain activity suggests Apple is already preparing for the engineering challenges involved in producing such a radically different device.
But should these rumors turn out to be true, then the iPhone 20 would easily become one of the most revolutionary changes in the history of Apple. An all-glass unibody, curvy form factor, and even a cutout-free screen would be a big step ahead from the current iPhones.
As usual, all these information comes only from the supply chain leaks and industry insiders but not from the official announcement. We have seen several prototypes from Apple even before releasing a final product, which means that there may still be changes in the future.
Nonetheless, according to the newest leak, Apple is really working hard to make its anniversary iPhone a remarkable device.