Apple could call it the iPhone 19 or skip straight to the iPhone 20. Either way, the price, release window and design changes are already shaping up.
Apple has reportedly considered skipping “iPhone 19” and jumping to iPhone 20 in 2027. That would mark two decades since the original iPhone launched in 2007.
The move would echo 2017, when Apple skipped the iPhone 9 and launched the iPhone X instead. The tenth-anniversary model removed the home button and introduced Face ID.
History could repeat itself, with the Dynamic Island reportedly on the chopping block.
Industry research firm Omdia has flagged “iPhone 20” as a possible name. However, “iPhone XX” and iPhone 19 remain possibilities. Apple has not confirmed the branding.
Apple typically reveals its flagship iPhone lineup in September. Reports currently point to the anniversary Pro generation arriving in autumn 2027.
Other 2027 iPhones could arrive earlier, however, as Apple is reportedly considering a split launch schedule.
For South African buyers, that could mean local availability around late September or early October 2027 if Apple follows its usual rollout.
iPhone 20 design could bring a major shape change
The biggest change may not be the camera or processor. It could be the physical shape of the iPhone itself.
The anniversary model is rumoured to move away from the flat, sharp-edged form used on recent iPhones. In its place could be a smoother, more seamless shape.
The change could become Apple’s biggest iPhone redesign since the iPhone X in 2017.
Quad-curved glass could reshape the iPhone
Supply-chain reports describe a “quad-curved” glass design that wraps around all four edges.
Instead of the flat front and angular frame of current models, the glass could curve gently towards the top, bottom and sides.
That could create an almost seamless front with far less visible bezel. The result would be a more expansive-looking display.
The design could also change how the phone feels in the hand. The hard, angular edges of recent iPhones would give way to a smoother, more rounded form.
However, the latest reports point to a glass-centric design rather than a completely glass, metal-free iPhone.
Apple is reportedly exploring glass on the front and rear that curves towards the sides. A structural section in the frame could still remain.
The shift would mark a major departure from the design language seen on recent iPhones and follows the evolution from the iPhone 18 generation.
Apple is also reportedly working with Samsung on the display. It could use Colour Filter on Encapsulation (COE) OLED technology.
The technology could make the display stack thinner, improve light transmission and reduce power consumption.
Physical buttons are also tipped to disappear. Reports point to solid-state haptic controls that would respond with vibration rather than actual movement.
iPhone 20 camera and display upgrades
Camera and display technology could change significantly too.
Apple is reportedly testing an under-display selfie camera. This could hide more of the front-facing hardware beneath the screen.
Under-display Face ID has also been linked to the anniversary model. Both technologies remain uncertain.
The rear camera system could also receive a major redesign. Reports point to a flush camera housing rather than the raised bump seen on current iPhones.
Apple is reportedly developing its own stacked image sensor using LOFIC technology. The technology could improve dynamic range by helping the sensor handle different levels of light.
Some more extreme camera claims are also circulating online. A specific 200MP telephoto camera, however, should not yet be treated as an established iPhone 20 feature.
iPhone 20 specs: A21 chip, battery and modem
The changes would extend beyond the exterior.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and other MacRumors sources point to a second-generation 2-nanometre A21 chip.
Apple is also reportedly working on a silicon-anode battery. The technology could improve battery life without adding bulk.
The company is also developing its own image sensor using LOFIC technology for wider dynamic range.
Apple is said to be preparing its own modem for US models, moving away from Qualcomm hardware.
Memory could also receive an upgrade. Apple may use new stacked DRAM technology to increase memory bandwidth for increasingly demanding on-device AI features.
Reverse wireless charging has also been linked to the anniversary iPhone. It could allow the phone to charge compatible accessories such as AirPods or an Apple Watch.
The feature remains unconfirmed.
iPhone 20 screen sizes could remain familiar
Despite the radical design changes, Apple is not expected to completely rethink the phone’s size.
The two screen sizes are expected to broadly mirror the current iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max at around 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches.
Other reports have pointed to slightly larger prototypes. The final dimensions therefore remain uncertain.
This would allow Apple to introduce a substantially different exterior without moving customers into an entirely new size category.
When will the iPhone 20 be released?
Apple’s current iPhone lineup is already unusually fractured.
The standard iPhone 18 is not expected until early 2027, while the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max have only just arrived. The ultra-premium foldable iPhone Duo also sits at the top end of the range.
Apple is reportedly considering a split launch schedule.
The regular iPhone 18 generation could arrive earlier in 2027, with the anniversary Pro generation following later in the year.
South African buyers may therefore be weighing a near-term upgrade against waiting for the anniversary model.
That could be particularly relevant as Apple reportedly prepares more memory bandwidth for increasingly demanding on-device AI features.
Apple has not announced the schedule. A September 2027 launch would, however, fit its established flagship release pattern.
For South Africa, local availability would typically follow the international launch.
If that pattern holds, the iPhone 20 could reach South African stores and mobile networks in late September or early October 2027.
The timing is relevant for anyone considering an upgrade now. The iPhone 17 brought several notable changes, while the iPhone 18 Pro generation focuses more heavily on internal upgrades.
iPhone 20 price in South Africa could top R60,000
All these changes could come at a cost.
Based on recent iStore pricing trends, the iPhone 18 Pro starts at R28,799. Higher-storage configurations already pass R50,000.
An anniversary redesign could push the entry-level Pro model higher.
Current estimates put the potential starting price around R30,999 to R32,999. Fully loaded storage variants could move beyond R62,000.
These figures are estimates, not confirmed Apple pricing.
The final South African price will depend on Apple’s component costs, storage options, exchange rates and local pricing at launch.
Why the iPhone 20 rumours remain uncertain
The anniversary redesign has generated conflicting reports.
One report suggested Apple’s most ambitious all-glass concept had run into manufacturing problems.
Later reporting indicated that the broader glass-centric redesign remains in development, although Apple may have abandoned an even more extreme version.
An iPhone with curved glass extending around the front and rear is therefore not necessarily the same as a completely glass, metal-free phone.
The same caution applies to under-display Face ID and cameras.
Apple has reportedly worked on these technologies for years. Development does not guarantee that they will reach the final product.
None of this is confirmed, and Apple’s plans can shift closer to launch.
For now, the iPhone 20 name, price, release date and final design remain rumours.
The reports do, however, point towards a potentially major anniversary redesign rather than another incremental iPhone update.
