iPhone X celebrated the 10th anniversary of the iPhone. | Image by PhoneArena
We’re still expecting the iPhone 18 Pro this fall and the base iPhone 18 early next year, but Apple is certainly already planning the 20th anniversary iPhone model. Earlier leaks suggested some changes to its display, but a new rumor points at something even more radical.
Apple may use a quad-curved display for the 2027 iPhone
Following reports of a “single slab of glass” design for the so-called iPhone 20, Apple may have a much less innovative idea for the anniversary model. According to a Weibo post from leaker Digital Chat Station, the company is collaborating with Samsung for the development of a four-sided micro-curved display panel.
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Unlike previous claims of a dramatic curve, this report suggests a much more measured approach. Such a design could create the illusion of a device with no bezels but avoid image distortion and accidental inputs.
Switching to a pol-less design
Apple is also exploring a transition to a pol-less design, which would remove the traditional polarizer layer of the display. That would improve the brightness of the display while making it thinner and more efficient.
The iPhone 20 was expected to be all screen. | Image by MacRumors
We’ve already heard rumors that Apple may use the Samsung-made COE (Color Filter on Encapsulation) technology, which reduces the power consumption of the display. The company is likely to use an improved version of the anti-reflective it already uses on the latest iPhones.
Android phones had it first
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra | Image by PhoneArena
If this rumor reflects Apple's real plans, we’re very likely to see an iPhone 20, which looks a lot like a Galaxy S20 Ultra. Micro-curved panels are far from a new development and have been used on many Android phones over the years.
Curved displays were all the rage in the late 2010s, but some manufacturers still launch such phones today. Some of the iconic phones with such screens were Samsung’s Galaxy S20 series, the Huawei P40 Pro, and the OnePlus 12, among many others.
Hopefully a mistake
Apple’s most iconic designs have one thing in common—flat frames. That’s true for the iPhone 4, iPhone 5, and every iPhone in the past five years. I firmly believe moving away from that would be a mistake, even if we ignore that we’ve seen that design multiple times before.
Hopefully, Apple won’t just reproduce the poorly aged Android design, and it’ll have something to add to it.
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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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