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The iPhone 20 may replace Air, not Pro
Apple’s 2027 anniversary iPhone may replace iPhone Air—not Pro—if its rumored all-glass design brings thermal compromises.
Image: 9to5Mac
Apple’s 20th-anniversary iPhone, expected in 2027, is widely rumored to introduce a radical redesign. But it may not replace the iPhone Pro line, despite current expectations, according to 9to5Mac’s analysis.
The rumored device would pursue Jony Ive’s original vision of an iPhone built as a single slab of glass. Its display could curve over the sides and extend to the edges, while a roughly 7-inch screen would make it slightly larger than the iPhone 17 Pro Max—partly because eliminating bezels would create more usable display area.
The design may also introduce under-display Face ID and camera technology to the iPhone for the first time, removing the Dynamic Island pill. Those changes would make it a significant departure from the current Pro models.
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Why the iPhone Pro may not get the glass redesign
The case against a Pro replacement starts with the iPhone 17 Pro. Apple shifted that model toward utility, using an all-aluminum design to improve thermal performance and pairing it with a thicker chassis. That move marked a change from Pro iPhones being primarily the flashy, premium option.
Apple also introduced iPhone Air, a radically thin model built around a premium all-glass and titanium design. The current product split therefore positions Air as the premium design-focused model, while Pro is intended to be uncompromising in performance and thermal management.
Given that direction, the analysis argues that Apple may be reluctant to move the Pro line back to an all-glass construction if doing so creates thermal compromises. Apple is expected to debut iPhone Air 2 in early 2027, with a second camera. What comes after that remains unclear, creating a possible opening for the anniversary model to replace Air rather than Pro.
A possible 2027 iPhone lineup
Under that theory, the lineup from fall 2027 through spring 2028 could include:
- iPhone 19 Pro and iPhone 19 Pro Max
- 20th-anniversary iPhone in two sizes
- Second-generation foldable iPhone
- iPhone 19 and iPhone 19e
That arrangement would echo Apple’s 2017 launch strategy. The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus remained new models, while the iPhone X occupied the top position for customers seeking a more radical design.
The source acknowledges that current rumors still largely point to the anniversary iPhone replacing the Pro models. More than a year remains before the expected debut, however, and the final design could be less ambitious than the rumors suggest. If Apple does make it a direct Pro successor, it might keep the iPhone 18 Pro models in the lineup for an additional generation.
Gadgets Editor
Eli is obsessed with the tangible future. He reviews phones, wearables, and everything with a battery. Known for his rigorous testing protocols and unabashed teardowns, Eli has broken more review units than he cares to admit, all in the name of discovering the truth about durability and repairability.
via 9to5Mac
