Apple’s 20th anniversary all-glass iPhone could reshape the Pro lineup

For quite some time, rumors and leaks have suggested that Apple is working on a special-edition iPhone that will have quad-curved edges and an all-glass build. While this was expected to be a one-off up till now, a new report suggests it could spawn a new design generation for Pro models, similar to what the iPhone X did for subsequent iPhones.

The information comes from 9to5mac, citing a new report from analyst Jeff Pu. It claims that the innovation showcased with the 20th anniversary iPhone will bleed over onto mainstream Pro and Pro Max models. This means the quad-curved edges and even the under-display front camera will become the norm for the more premium iPhone models.

Back in 2017, Apple released the iPhone X to mark the phone’s 10th anniversary, and that new design was then incorporated into all subsequent iPhones. While that included the base or non-Pro iPhone models for a unified design across the lineup, the 20th anniversary edition design will seemingly only affect the Pro and Pro Max models. That’s understandable, as the all-glass design would be much more complex and expensive to produce. How that would affect the price of the Pro and Pro Max models, only time will tell.

Apple is expected to unveil this special iPhone next year. This model will reportedly use COE (Color Filter on Encapsulation) technology, which enables significantly thinner and brighter screens with reduced power consumption. While Apple hasn’t shared any information on a 20th anniversary iPhone, the redesign speculation was backed by a recent report claiming Apple is working with Samsung to develop an "equal-depth quad-curved" panel.