Apple is gearing up for a major shake-up to celebrate the iPhone’s 20th birthday in 2027, with remarkable possibilities like a foldable version and a bold new Pro model. Arriving in 2025, the iPhone 17 Air will kickstart this revolution and pave the way for a whole new era of innovation.
The Evolution of iPhone Design
The last major design upgrade of Apple’s smartphone lineup happened in 2017 when the iPhone X dropped. It ditched the iconic Home Button with Touch ID and introduced a full-screen appearance with the infamous notch, which has now transitioned into Dynamic Island. Apple used this redesign for the iPhone XS and iPhone 11 series.
In 2020, the iPhone 12 brought some design tweaks such as square edges, sleek borders, MagSafe, and more. Since then, Apple has kept this design through the iPhone 16, making only minor tweaks with each new model.
In the early days, each iPhone had a strikingly different look. With time, Apple started using a design for much longer. Recent iPhone models have been thicker and less sleek. These moves turned the dreams of the thinnest and foldable iPhone models into just concepts. Thankfully, the upcoming iPhone 17 Air could signal the dawn of a new smartphone era for Apple.
The Upcoming iPhone 17 Air Revolution
This September, Apple is set to unveil its thinnest iPhone yet: the iPhone 17 Air. It could set the stage for future iPhone models.
The iPhone 17 Air could be as thin as 5.5mm, compared to an iPhone 16 Plus that measures 7.8mm. This will mark the first and most significant step in shifting Apple’s design philosophy.
Other features may include a 48MP rear camera, an A19 chip, a 120Hz OLED display, an in-house 5G modem, and longer battery life. With a mix of pro-level and entry-level functions, the iPhone 17 Air might spice up Apple smartphone sales.
Well, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Apple initially hoped to be more ambitious with its Air model. When it started working on the iPhone, it prototyped a device with a big 6.9-inch screen that matched the Pro Max model.
However, it pulled off the idea over concerns that a thin design with such a big screen could be susceptible to bending. Apple already has a history of the “Bendgate” controversy with the iPhone 6 Plus.
The company also wanted to market the Air as Apple’s first port-less iPhone. This would mean removing the USB-C connector and going all wireless with charging & data transfers.
As expected, removing the charging port sparked controversy. As a result, Apple decided to keep the USB-C port on the iPhone 17 Air. But that’s only the case for now. If the upcoming iPhone 17 turns out to be successful, Apple intends to expand its slimmer design approach and even make port-free iPhones.
Foldable iPhone
Apple is gearing up to use the advanced technologies from the iPhone 17 Air to create groundbreaking models in the future. This includes Apple’s first-ever foldable iPhone, similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold, but with a slim design and crease-free display. The first foldable iPhone will utilize the advances made in Air’s chip, modem, battery, and display. It will play a major role in a wave of new models celebrating the iPhone’s 20th anniversary.
Apple will unveil the first-generation foldable iPhone in 2026. A year later, we’ll see a second and improved iteration of the same model or even a completely different version with a clamshell design.
A ‘Bold’ New iPhone Pro
Beyond the foldable, the iPhone 17 Air will particularly shape the highly anticipated 20th-anniversary iPhone Pro model. According to Mark Gurman, Apple is planning to transform the look and feel of its high-end Pro iPhones. Apple last refreshed its Pro models with the iPhone 12 in 2020. Since then, the design has remained largely unchanged. Of course, there have been some hardware upgrades and changes, but we haven’t seen any dramatic redesigns. Also, the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro will largely resemble the current iPhone 16 Pro.
That said, Apple is gearing up for a big shake-up with iPhone’s 20th Anniversary. It’s planning to launch a bold new iPhone Pro model that makes extensive use of the glass. We might also see other meaningful changes like an under-display Face ID. This would shrink the Dynamic Island, moving Apple a step closer to its dream of an iPhone with an uninterrupted display.
As for the model number, it’s hard to say what Apple will use for its 20th anniversary iPhone. If the giant follows its annual release patterns and naming conventions, the 2027 model is likely to be the iPhone 19 lineup.
Apple has also adjusted numbers for major milestones, like going from iPhone 8 to iPhone X for the 10th anniversary. So, we might see an iPhone 20 for the 20th anniversary instead of an iPhone 19. Only time will tell what Apple has up its sleeve.