There is a pattern relating to the Apple iPhone that could repeat itself again in 2027 with the release of the iPhone 20 Pro and Pro Max This pattern started in 2017 with the launch of the iPhone X when Apple introduced the Notch. This quickly became the trademark of the iPhone at that time (just like the Beatles were associated with what was called "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah" music until 1966) and was even copied by Google on the Pixel 3 XL. Love it or hate it (and many did the latter), the notch gave Apple a place to hide the front-facing cameras and other technologies needed for Face ID.
The iPhone is due for a design change in 2027
You might even recall that Samsung created a family in its Galaxy ads at the time that were so into the iPhone, they used black electrical tape to create a notch on their foreheads. The point was not just to show how ugly the notch was, but also to make fun of iPhone fans.
The next change occurred in 2022, five years later, when the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max came with the Dynamic Island. It might have looked cooler during Apple's 2022 iPhone unveiling event. If there is a five-year pattern, the next change will take place in 2027. According to prolific Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station, Apple plans to introduce the iPhone's first under screen front-facing camera in 2027.
Apple promotes the OG iPhone in 2007. | mage credit-Apple
The plan is apparently to first put Face ID under the display with the 2026 iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. That will allow Apple to say goodbye to the Dynamic Island, which would be replaced with a punch-hole camera. And that would take us to the next five-year change in 2027 as the front-facing camera would also be placed under the display allowing Apple to give iPhone users a display without any cutouts at all.
The 2027 iPhone Pro and Pro Max could have the front-facing camera under the display
Apple is reportedly planning on calling the 2027 iPhone models the iPhone 20 to celebrate 20 years of the iPhone which was released on June 29th, 2007. So, it would appear that like the infamous iPhone 9, the iPhone 19 will also go down in Apple lore as a model that was never made.
Will you buy the port-less iPhone 20 Pro and Pro Max?
Yes. It will be the best-looking phone around.
50%
No. I'm not interested.
50%
A pristine glass display for the iPhone 20 Pro and iPhone 20 Pro Max would fit in perfectly with the rumored design of the iPhone 20 Pro models. This design would have no cutouts, no buttons, no ports, and no bezels. It would look just like a slab of glass, exactly what the late Steve Jobs and Apple's former design chief Jony Ive had in mind for the first iPhone. Unfortunately, technology at that time made this design impossible in 2007 but it can be done in 2027.
This past May, word that that Apple was working to develop this stunning design for the premium 2027 iPhone models came from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in his weekly Power On column. Back in 2007, a port was necessary for data transfers and to charge the iPhone's battery. Today, magnetic MagSafe accessories attach to the back of the device doing away with the requirement for a port for charging. AirDrop can be used for data transfers although there is speculation that Apple is working on a high-speed version of MagSafe that could transfer data at a fast speed.
Those buying a 2027 Premium iPhone model might have to buy new accessories
Buttons used to power on the device, adjust the volume, and handle other tasks can be changed from the physical kind to the virtual type manipulated on the phone's display. In theory, that design would stay in place until 2032 until the next five-years is up with the release of the iPhone 25 Pro models. One downside to the port-free design is that it would require those buying an iPhone 20 Pro or iPhone 20 Pro Max to buy new MagSafe accessories.
Moving over to the new design will be a little pricey, but it should be a one-time expense. Apple is surely looking forward to the additional revenue it will generate from those sticking with the Apple ecosystem to get all of the MagSafe gear they will need to seamlessly move over to what will certainly be the most discussed smartphone design in 2027.
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Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.
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