A "Glass" iPhone Is Coming. Apple Will Radically Revamp Its Design in 2027 — Bloomberg
Sources at the agency denied reports that the project—which had caused the company's stock to fall the previous day—was being scaled back
Apple has not abandoned its plans to release a new smartphone with a glass design to mark the iPhone's 20th anniversary / Photo: bluestork / Shutterstock
Apple’s product roadmap remains unchanged, and the company is expected to release an iPhone Pro with a radically new “glass” design in 2027, according to Bloomberg sources. This contradicts a recent statement by a Jefferies analyst claiming that Apple had scaled back work on the project.
Details
Apple still plans to release a new iPhone Pro next year with a focus on glass, timing the launch to coincide with the smartphone’s 20th anniversary, Bloomberg reports, citing sources. The glass will be used on the front and back panels of the devices and will flow smoothly into the side edges, with a metal strip in the middle. The company had to abandon a more ambitious concept of an all-glass body at an early stage, the agency’s sources added. That design proved unfeasible for mass production due to problems with securely bonding the components.
The day before, Jefferies analyst Edison Lee wrote about the cancellation of the project and recommended selling Apple shares, believing that scrapping the redesign would hurt the company's ability to raise its average selling price.
Typically, the design of new iPhones is finalized about a year before the annual fall presentation. This means that plans for 2027 are already in the advanced testing phase and, for the most part, have been finalized—barring any unforeseen complications that may still arise, according to Bloomberg.
An Apple spokesperson declined to comment to the news agency.
Why Is This Important?
The iPhone is Apple's main source of revenue, accounting for roughly half of its total revenue. Recently, sales of these devices have outpaced the company's other business segments: last quarter, they grew by 22%.
At the same time, there are high hopes for the new models. As a Jefferies analyst explained, introducing a “glass” design to premium models would allow Apple to increase its margins, which would serve as a key safeguard against rapidly rising component costs, such as those for memory chips. If this innovation is scrapped, the foldable iPhone—which the company is expected to unveil in September—will become the sole key driver of growth in average selling price and margins in the coming years, Li wrote.
According to Bloomberg, Apple will also unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models this fall, featuring significant camera upgrades, and will release smartphones in a new dark red color, which is expected to generate additional excitement. The release of the base-model iPhone 18 and an update to the budget-friendly 18e are planned for the spring. At the same time, the company will offer a second-generation version of the ultra-thin iPhone Air, according to the agency’s sources. This device will feature a second camera, a better processor, and longer battery life.
What about the stocks?
In premarket trading on August 11, Apple shares rose by about 0.2%, after falling 1.5% the previous day. Year-to-date, the company’s stock has gained 13.4%—slightly outperforming the broader market.
Jefferies has become the sixth Wall Street investment firm to recommend that investors reduce their holdings in the tech giant’s stock—Apple hasn’t received this many negative ratings since 2012.
For example, in early August, Phillip Capital analyst Helena Wang recommended selling the company's stock, warning of a decline in profitability due to a sharp rise in the price of memory chips.
According to MarketWatch, the majority—31 out of 48 analysts covering Apple—recommend buying its stock.
This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor
