Contrary to an analyst’s claim, Apple still plans to launch an all-glass iPhone on its 20th anniversary in 2027.
“The company expects to launch iPhone Pro models next year that will make use of a new glassy look,” wrote Mark Gurman in a Bloomberg report on Monday. Apple tested a version with even more glass but scrapped the plan early on due to design and manufacturing problems.
Apple’s all-glass iPhone 20 remains on track
Rumors swirling for the last year suggest that the iPhone 20 will launch with a curved glass design in 2027. However, Jefferies analyst Edison Lee wrote in a recent note to clients that Apple will not launch such an iPhone next year.
“Our supply-chain checks indicate Apple has cancelled the 20th anniversary all-glass iPhone model due to poor production yield,” Lee wrote. “We estimate that the phone, supposed to be launched in September 2027, would have had a blended retail ASP (average selling price) of $2,060. More importantly, we believe the plan was to extend the all-glass features to future iPhone Pro and Pro Max models, further raising their ASP and margin.”
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman shot down Jefferies’ claim, reporting Monday that Apple still plans to launch an all-glass iPhone on its 20th anniversary.
“There have been no recent changes to the iPhone roadmap or any recent development hiccups,” Gurman wrote later on X. “This is a matter of an analyst not seeing an entirely glass iPhone in the supply chain — which isn’t possible with today’s tech.”
The phone will use glass on the front and back that curves into its sides, with a thin metal band in the middle.
“New iPhone designs are typically solidified around a year before the product’s annual debut in the fall,” Gurman wrote in his news story. “That means the plans for 2027 are already in advanced testing and mostly locked in — barring unforeseen hitches that could still occur.”
Given Gurman’s track record and the advanced stage of the iPhone 20’s development, there is little reason to doubt his report. Apple appears committed to the curved glass design for its 20th-anniversary iPhone, even if the final product won’t be quite as ambitious as some early prototypes.
the kirdercee fall off is inevitable pic.twitter.com/bfzQBDIDYh
— kirdercee (@kirdercee) May 27, 2026
Apple’s wilder all-glass iPhone didn’t make the cut
Apple even tested a version with more glass. However, it ran into problems joining the two glass panels together. It would likely have proved challenging to mass-produce, so Apple ditched the idea early on.
But the company’s plans for an all-glass iPhone 20 design remain on track for 2027.
Apple gave its Pro iPhones a much-needed design revamp with the iPhone 17 Pro last year. That led to a sales supercycle, with the iPhone 17 lineup becoming the company’s most popular ever.
Rajesh has been writing about consumer technology for over a decade, with a strong focus on iPhones, Macs and Apple’s ecosystem. He enjoys digging into Apple software updates, hardware changes, and discovering new Mac apps that make work faster and more enjoyable.
You can reach out to him at mail[at]rajeshpandey.me.
