Summary While Apple’s plans remain unconfirmed, a growing number of leaks and rumors point to several significant upgrades for the anniversary models.
If you’re considering trading in your current iPhone for this year’s latest Pro models, there may be a good reason to wait. Apple is expected to introduce a commemorative iPhone 20 lineup next year, reportedly skipping the iPhone 19 name as part of its 20th-anniversary plans.
While Apple’s plans remain unconfirmed, a growing number of leaks and rumors point to several significant upgrades for the anniversary models. Taken together, they could make next year’s iPhone a much more substantial upgrade than the iPhone 18 Pro lineup is expected to be.
Here are nine rumored features that could make the iPhone 20 worth waiting for.
1. Quad-Curved, All-Glass Design
The iPhone 20 is rumored to feature a quad-curved display, with the glass bending away on all four sides of the device. This design could hide the metal frame during normal use, creating a more seamless, borderless appearance.
Apple is reportedly working with Samsung on an “equal-depth quad-curved” display technology that could make this design possible.
2. More Advanced OLED Technology
Apple is reportedly planning a thinner and brighter OLED display for its 20th-anniversary iPhone. The company could use Samsung OLED panels featuring Color Filter on Encapsulation (COE) technology.
The technology could help reduce the thickness of the display stack while allowing more light to pass through. That could result in higher brightness and potentially lower power consumption.
3. Under-Display Face ID and Camera
One of the biggest potential changes could be the removal of the Dynamic Island. Apple is reportedly continuing to test technology that would place Face ID components beneath the display, while an under-display camera is also said to be in development.
If successful, the technology could give the iPhone 20 a completely uninterrupted screen. However, it remains unclear whether Apple will be able to make the technology ready for a fall 2027 launch.
4. Apple’s Own Image Sensor
Apple is reportedly developing a custom stacked image sensor that could eventually replace the Sony sensors it has traditionally used in the iPhone.
Reports suggest Apple already has a working prototype, with the sensor potentially using LOFIC technology. This could allow individual pixels to handle different amounts of light and potentially deliver up to 20 stops of dynamic range, significantly improving the camera’s ability to capture detail in challenging lighting conditions.
5. Solid-State Buttons
Apple is also rumored to be experimenting with solid-state versions of the iPhone’s physical controls. The Side, Volume, Action, and Camera Control buttons could potentially be replaced with haptic controls integrated directly into the frame.
Rather than physically moving when pressed, the buttons would use haptic feedback to simulate the sensation of a traditional button press.
6. A 2nm A21 Pro Chip
The iPhone 20 models are expected to feature Apple’s next-generation A21 Pro chip, potentially built using a second-generation 2-nanometer manufacturing process.
With the iPhone 18 Pro models widely expected to debut the A20 Pro, the anniversary iPhones could bring another significant leap in processing performance and efficiency.
7. A Silicon-Anode Battery
Apple is reportedly exploring silicon-anode battery technology that could store more lithium ions per gram than conventional battery materials.
If the technology makes its way into the iPhone 20, Apple could potentially offer longer battery life without significantly increasing the physical size of the battery.
8. Faster Mobile Memory
Apple is also rumored to be evaluating vertically stacked DRAM technology to increase memory bandwidth.
Higher memory bandwidth could be particularly useful for on-device artificial intelligence, potentially allowing the iPhone to handle more demanding AI workloads more efficiently.
9. Larger Display Options
The iPhone 20 Pro lineup could also feature slightly larger displays than the iPhone 18 Pro models.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to retain 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, respectively, similar to the iPhone 17 Pro models. By comparison, Apple is rumored to be testing a 6.4-inch display for the iPhone 20 Pro and a 7-inch panel for the iPhone 20 Pro Max.
Should You Wait for the iPhone 20?
There is still a long way to go before Apple’s rumored anniversary iPhones arrive. The launch is expected to be around 12 months away, and Apple’s plans can change considerably during development. Some of the technologies mentioned above are also highly ambitious and could be delayed or dropped entirely.
Under-display Face ID is perhaps the clearest example. The technology has been rumored for years, yet it has repeatedly failed to appear in a production iPhone.
Still, the collection of current rumors paints a picture of one of the most significant iPhone redesigns since the iPhone X debuted in 2017.
If even some of these features make it into the final product, the iPhone 20 could represent a far more substantial upgrade than the iPhone 18 Pro. For users who already own a recent Pro model, waiting another year could therefore make a lot of sense.
