Apple is celebrating a very special iPhone anniversary. Announced in 2007, the brand's flagship smartphone will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2027. For the occasion, the Cupertino giant is reportedly planning "a major overhaul", according to Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman in his Sunday newsletter.
The folding iPhone is finally here
As part of this shake-up of the lineup, Apple is reportedly launching a folding iPhone for the very first time. Previous rumors, however, predicted a release sometime next year. According to Mark Gurman, whose indiscretions are often spot on, we'll have to wait another year for the iPhone to switch to foldable screens. With this foldable iPhone, which has been in development for years in the Cupertino labs, Apple would finally be catching up with the Android competition, which began the transition to foldable screens several years ago. It should be noted that Samsung's first Galaxy Z Fold was announced in 2019.
Unsurprisingly, the iPhone with a foldable screen will come at a high price. According to the latest information available, Apple will launch the foldable iPhone at a starting price of $2,000, double the price of an iPhone Pro. The smartphone will enter a market where the price of foldable smartphones has become significantly more affordable.
According to analyst Jeff Pu, the project is already well advanced. The foldable iPhone has just entered the new product introduction (NPI) phase at Foxconn. This is a pre-production stage, which precedes mass production, and which occurs after the device has been designed and approved by Apple's top brass. Mass production is expected to begin in the second half of 2026.
An all-glass iPhone Pro for 2027
That's not all. To celebrate the anniversary of its iconic device, Apple is also said to be launching "a bold new Pro model" that relies more heavily on glass instead of titanium, which the brand adopted in 2023. For a time, Apple toyed with the idea of designing an iPhone made entirely of glass. The iPhone X, whose back is covered with a layer of glass, is representative of Apple's ambitions under the aegis of designer Jony Ive.
Since the iPhone X, Apple has quickly moved away from glass to more resistant materials. With the iPhone 20, announced 10 years after the iPhone X, Apple would be making a sort of return to its roots with greater lightness and finesse. This change could already be underway with the iPhone 17, which will inherit a new design with a revised camera unit, and especially with the iPhone 17 Air. Apple has a habit of evolving the aesthetics of its iPhones over several generations. It's not inconceivable that elements of the iPhone 17 Air's design could foreshadow the iPhone 20.
Delay for the HomePod Hybrid
Finally, the Bloomberg journalist took the opportunity to discuss the future of the HomePod Hybrid. Apple is indeed preparing a new device, between the iPad and the HomePod. It will be used to control the connected home, by voice or via a touchscreen. The device will reportedly run on a new system called homeOS and will serve as a cornerstone of Apple's strategy to conquer the world of home automation.
Unfortunately, the hub requires the new version of Siri to function. However, Apple was forced to postpone the release of the new Siri to 2026. With its back to the wall, Tim Cook's group has put the project "on hold" until further notice. Apple initially predicted a delay of "a few months" from the original schedule, which called for a March 2025 release. Now, the company doesn't expect to release the device until next year. The hybrid HomePod will pave the way for even more ambitious devices, starting with an articulated arm carrying a tablet and powered by generative AI.
Source: Bloomberg
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