Leaks suggest the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have minimal design changes, as Apple is reportedly saving its next major redesign for a special 20th-anniversary iPhone in 2027. This anniversary model is rumored to feature a revolutionary all-glass, quad-curved design with an under-display camera and solid-state buttons.
It is anticipated that the iPhone 18 Pro Max would resemble the model from the previous year almost exactly. Here, we explain why and what Apple is allegedly planning for the 20th anniversary of the iPhone in 2027.
You're not alone if the leaks about the iPhone 18 Pro Max have left you feeling a little let down due to its similar form, identical screen size, and little visible cosmetic alterations. It's not a coincidence, based on what has been published thus far. It appears that Apple is purposefully delaying its largest redesign in years for a certain, meaningful occasion, and that occasion isn't this September.
Before writing off this year's iPhone as dull, it's important to recognise that Apple has a clear history for this behaviour. Alongside the conventional iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, Apple introduced the iPhone X in 2017 to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the iPhone. In addition to introducing Face ID and eliminating the Home button, the X model set the design standard that all other iPhones have in one way or another adhered to.
Related Articles
Mark Gurman of Bloomberg claims that Apple intends to use the same tactic on the 20th anniversary of the iPhone. The 20th anniversary of the first iPhone is actually June 29, 2027, as it was first introduced in January 2007 and went on sale in June of the same year. The 20th anniversary model is anticipated to emerge in the autumn of 2027, in accordance with Apple's customary September timetable, much as the company did not hurry the release of the iPhone X to coincide with June 2017.
Gurman has described Apple's strategy in great detail: the updated iPhone 17 Pro and the brand-new iPhone Air were released in September 2025. September 2026 is when a foldable iPhone is expected to be released. The true event, a special 20th-anniversary commemorative iPhone based on what is reportedly Apple's most significant makeover since the iPhone X, will happen in September 2027.
What Apple Is Reportedly Preparing for 2027 Instead?
On paper, rumours about the 20th anniversary of the iPhone present an absolutely amazing image. According to reports, the gadget has an all-glass design with curved glass encircling all four of its corners and a "quad-curved" display with no perforations thanks to the complete integration of Face ID and the front-facing camera beneath the screen. Furthermore, Apple is purportedly restarting a shelved effort known internally as "Project Bongo" to replace physical buttons with solid-state haptic counterparts; their dependability has supposedly already been confirmed, even when handled with wet hands or gloves.
According to the leaker Fixed Focus Digital, Apple has already begun ramping up orders for vapor chamber cooling components intended for both the 2026 foldable iPhone and the 2027 anniversary model; this indicates that manufacturing preparations are underway more than a year ahead of the launch.
