Apple wanted to blow us away for the 20th anniversary of the iPhone, now it’s not so sure

Apple is facing a dilemma, according to a new report, and the company might have to make a choice that it’s not entirely content with. Next year, Apple wanted to release a bold new Pro model for the 20th anniversary of the iPhone, but hardware limitations have thrown a wrench in the company’s plans.

A bold new iPhone Pro

According to multiple reports from within the supply chain over the last few months, Apple wants to release an iPhone 20 Pro next year for the 20th anniversary of its flagship smartphone. The iPhone 19, much like the iPhone 9, is to be skipped.

This iPhone 20 Pro would feature an edge-to-edge display where the corners would meld into the chassis without being too curved like the old Galaxy Edge phones. Most importantly of all, however, the display of this phone would lack any notches, punch holes, or cutouts that disrupt the viewing experience.

Some reports even claimed that Apple wanted to make this its first iPhone model without any buttons as well. Suffice to say, the company has been making grand plans for this phone for quite some time.

In fact, according to one report, Apple has already started working with Samsung to acquire curved displays for the iPhone.

Hardware limitations ruining Apple’s plans

According to the report (translated source), Apple isn’t sure if it wants to accept the sacrifice in quality for selfies taken with an under-display camera. The company is desperately hoping for a breakthrough before the 2027 launch that ensures premium selfies even without a visible front camera.

For Apple, high-quality selfies are a core part of the user experience for iPhone owners. If the company has to achieve a perfect screen with an under-display camera that doesn’t take the kind of photos that its customer base is used to, then the entire idea becomes optional.

To make matters worse, the under-display Face ID component that Apple recently ordered is apparently sluggish in its operation. The company initially wanted to debut this under-display Face ID on the iPhone 18 Pro, now it’s not sure if it will even accept it for the iPhone 20 Pro.

This is one of the reasons that the iPhone 18 Pro feels like a filler episode that you can skip. Unless, of course, you’re one of the many people who think that the new Dark Cherry color for the iPhone 18 Pro looks stunning.

Incoming compromise?

If under-display selfie cameras and Face ID sensors are not perfected in time, then the iPhone 20 Pro will not be the remarkable celebration of iPhone that Apple was hoping for.



The company might have to compromise and work on something else. Something that is more manageable. Delaying the foldable iPhone by another year is out of the question as much of it has already started entering production.

It’s a real shame

I have been considering switching to team Apple ever since I heard about the iPhone 20 Pro. The trend of notches and punch holes has never sat right with me, so a distraction-free display was a very enticing prospect.

Apple popularized the notch and this was its chance to redeem itself in my eyes. I have also been hoping for the iPhone 20 Pro to kickstart an industrywide move away from display cutouts of any kind.

This news is a real shame, though. There’s still a lot of time and I’m hopeful that Apple will work something out. But if it doesn’t, then I’m doubtful anything else will live up to the expectations that the original iPhone 20 Pro design will have left behind.

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