Apple is preparing to reinvent the iPhone — not with one big change, but through a three-year design evolution that will culminate in the iPhone 20, set to mark the product’s 20th anniversary in 2027.
From ultra-thin form factors to foldable glass and eventually a wraparound display, Apple’s next hardware cycle will redefine what “an iPhone” looks and feels like. Here’s the full timeline of what to expect between 2025 and 2027.
2025: iPhone 17 Air – The Thinnest iPhone Ever Made
Apple’s first major step in the redesign roadmap arrives with the iPhone 17 Air, set to debut in 2025. The company’s engineers are going all-in on thinness — pushing smartphone design closer to the limits of physics.
Key details
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Thickness: Around 5.5mm, making it the thinnest iPhone in history.
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Camera setup: Single-lens rear camera to save space and reduce weight.
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Battery life: Smaller, thinner cells mean reduced endurance compared to the iPhone 16 lineup.
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Design goal: Establish Apple’s next-generation “slimline” chassis and prepare component miniaturization for future models.
The iPhone 17 Air will mark the start of Apple’s “Air Series,” emphasizing form over feature count. Despite its compromises, it will showcase the company’s new manufacturing approach — lightweight alloys, refined cooling layers, and ultra-compact internal layouts designed for future foldables.
Expect a cleaner silhouette, rounded edges, and new metallic finishes replacing the current titanium tones.
2026: The First Foldable iPhone
Apple’s first foldable iPhone, expected in 2026, will represent the biggest hardware shift in iPhone history — a direct response to years of R&D in flexible glass, hinge durability, and display stress testing.
What to expect
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Outer display: ~5.5 inches, functioning as a standard smartphone screen.
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Inner display: ~7.8 inches when unfolded, delivering a small tablet-like experience.
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Thickness: Only 4.5–4.8mm when open and 9–9.5mm when folded.
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Authentication: Touch ID under-display sensors instead of Face ID to reduce internal depth.
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Cameras: Dual-lens main camera + dual front cameras (for open and closed modes).
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Hinge design: Nearly crease-free, using an internally tensioned spine and liquid metal backing plate for smoother flex.
Apple’s foldable device will ship alongside the standard iPhone 18 lineup, likely branded as a premium variant or a separate model tier.
Internally, the project is part of Apple’s “Fold Initiative,” which also involves flexible MacBook prototypes and display panels co-developed with LG Display and Japan Display Inc.
What makes it different
Unlike Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series, Apple’s design focuses on uniform thickness, seamless glass continuity, and folding symmetry. The folded phone will feel like two thin iPhones stacked together rather than a bulky hybrid.
The 2026 iPhone will act as a bridge — transitioning Apple’s design language from aluminum and glass sandwiches to fully integrated flexible displays.
2027: iPhone 20 – The All-Glass Anniversary iPhone
The 20th anniversary iPhone, scheduled for 2027, is shaping up to be Apple’s most radical hardware redesign ever. The company’s engineers are targeting a device that looks like it’s carved from a single block of liquid glass.
Expected features
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Display: A full wraparound 360° display with no bezels or edges.
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Body: Seamless all-glass chassis with curved contours on every side.
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Interface: Under-display camera, sensors, and haptics — no visible cutouts.
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Design vision: A “pure glass” aesthetic that merges hardware and software into a single visual surface.
This design language will coincide with iOS 26’s “Liquid Glass” interface, which mirrors the look of the physical phone. Dynamic highlights, reflections, and curvature-responsive UI elements will create the illusion that software lives inside the glass rather than on top of it.
Apple’s goal for 2027 is simple: erase the boundary between device and display.
The Design Strategy Behind the Redesign
Each year builds toward Apple’s 2027 vision:
| Year | Model | Core Innovation | Strategic Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | iPhone 17 Air | Ultra-thin chassis | Miniaturization groundwork |
| 2026 | Foldable iPhone | Dual-display architecture | Bridge to flexible materials |
| 2027 | iPhone 20 | Wraparound display | Full integration of glass and interface |
By 2027, Apple wants to phase out visible bezels, physical buttons, and sensor cutouts entirely — a design goal the company has pursued for more than a decade.
The path mirrors Apple’s historical cycles: thin-first (MacBook Air 2008), fold-next (iPad mini/Fold 2026), then full-integration (iPhone 20).
The Technology Foundation
To make this redesign possible, Apple is advancing several hardware platforms in parallel:
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Tandem OLED panels for uniform flexibility and higher brightness at lower power.
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Custom low-profile batteries using solid-state layering.
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Under-glass optical sensors for Touch ID and front-facing cameras.
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A16+ materials combining glass ceramics with reinforced molecular lattices to prevent shattering in curved designs.
These advancements will also influence Apple Watch, iPad, and Vision Pro design, creating a unified “liquid hardware” aesthetic across Apple’s ecosystem.
What It Means for Users
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2025: The thinnest, lightest iPhone ever, but limited endurance.
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2026: The first iPhone that unfolds into a tablet.
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2027: A seamless, edge-free iPhone that represents two decades of design evolution.
Apple’s roadmap signals a future where the iPhone becomes less of a “device” and more of an interface layer — pure display, pure immersion.
The 2027 iPhone 20 won’t just celebrate twenty years of product history. It will mark the point where Apple finally achieves its long-standing vision: a single, continuous piece of glass that contains the entire iPhone experience.
Tricia Nelson is a skilled writer at 3Zebras, known for her insightful articles on technology, science, and gaming. She covers a wide range of topics, from the potential of nanotechnology in mimicking cobwebs to exploring new discoveries in astronomy. Tricia’s work stands out for its clear explanations and engaging style, making complex subjects accessible to all readers. Her contributions have made her a respected voice in the 3Zebras community,