Apple’s Glass-Heavy iPhone Plan Faces Mixed Signals
AM730 · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Apple’s reported plan for a redesigned iPhone to mark the product’s 20th anniversary remains in flux. Jefferies analyst Edison Lee said the all-glass iPhone project may have been cancelled because of poor production yields, but Bloomberg cited people familiar with the matter as saying Apple still plans to launch a glass-centric iPhone Pro in 2027. The reported anniversary models carry internal codenames V73 and V74, and are expected to feature glass on both the front and back, with the material curving toward the sides and a metal frame joining the middle. A more radical concept using even more glass and less metal was reportedly abandoned earlier in development after problems with joining the glass and scaling the design for mass production
Key Points
- Bloomberg reported Apple still aims to release a 20th-anniversary iPhone Pro next year, tied to the 2027 milestone for the iPhone line
- People familiar with the matter said the anniversary Pro models are internally codenamed V73 and V74 inside Apple
- The new design is expected to use glass on the front and back, with curved sides and a metal frame connecting the center section
- An earlier, more extreme design with more glass and less metal was dropped after technical joining issues and unresolved mass-production challenges
- Jefferies cut Apple to “underperform” and lowered its target price from US$285.56 to US$263.66, citing worries about iPhone demand and pricing power
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong consumers, the report points to a possible major iPhone redesign after years of more incremental updates, which could affect upgrade decisions and pricing expectations. It also suggests that if Apple can bring the device to market in 2027, the model could become the company’s most expensive iPhone at about US$2,060, or roughly HK$16,000