Apple is still moving ahead with a glass-heavy redesign of the iPhone timed to the device's 20th anniversary, according to people familiar with the matter, pushing back against a recent analyst claim that the project had been shelved.
The company is expected to introduce iPhone Pro models next year built around this new glassy design, internally referred to as V73 and V74, with glass running across both the front and back and curving into the sides, held together by a metal band in the middle, the people said, declining to be named given the sensitivity of the plans.
An earlier, more ambitious version of the design, favored by Apple's in-house design team, leaned even further into glass and cut metal out almost entirely, but was abandoned early in development after engineers ran into difficulty joining the glass panels together in a way that could scale to mass production.
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Apple has been chasing a distinctive new look for the iPhone since it first launched in 2007, and while a fully seamless glass exterior turned out to be harder to pull off than expected, the company still intends to debut a version of that original concept next year. Apple did not respond to a request for comment.
The plans described contradict a report earlier this week from Jefferies analyst Edison Lee, who cited supply chain checks in saying the all-glass iPhone had been cancelled and cut his rating on Apple shares, arguing the shift would make it harder for the company to push into higher-priced smartphones. Apple shares fell as much as 2.8% in New York trading on Monday following that report.
Roadmap Already Locked In
New iPhone designs are typically finalized about a year ahead of their autumn debut, meaning the 2027 plans are already deep into testing and largely set, barring any unexpected setbacks. The iPhone remains Apple's largest revenue driver, making up roughly half of total sales, and has recently been growing faster than the rest of the business, with sales up 22% last quarter.
That momentum is expected to continue with next month's iPhone lineup. Apple's foldable model will mark the biggest single shift in the product's appearance to date, while the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are set to bring notable camera upgrades alongside a new dark red color option intended to draw attention.
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In the spring, Apple plans to release the standard iPhone 18, an updated 18e budget model, and a second-generation iPhone Air with an added camera, a stronger processor and longer battery life.
Beyond phones, Apple is reportedly developing smart glasses and AirPods with built-in cameras, part of a wider push into AI-focused wearables and home devices - a product pipeline expected to give incoming CEO John Ternus, who takes over on Sept. 1, some early momentum to build on.
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