Is a glass-bodied iPhone really coming?
Apple's most ambitious project in years — an all-glass iPhone planned to mark the device's 20th anniversary — appears to be moving forward, with growing industry consensus that development remains on track.
Although reports of a cancellation surfaced recently, observers say a 2027 launch remains the most likely outcome. Anticipation is building that next year will bring a genuine glass iPhone to market.
The pushback began after word spread that Apple had scrapped the project. Major tech outlets and industry tipsters quickly moved to rebuff the claim.
Earlier, US investment bank Jefferies said in a research note that Apple had canceled the all-glass iPhone — intended to coincide with the handset's 20th anniversary next year — due to persistently low production yields.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman swiftly rebuffed the Jefferies assessment, saying the all-glass iPhone remains on schedule for a 2027 release.
Tech publication MacRumors also said Apple's glass-centric design overhaul for its 2027 iPhone is still proceeding.
Industry tipster Digital Chat Station said the display for the device had been spotted within Apple's supply chain, adding that development of the all-glass iPhone model is still actively underway.
Tipster Ice Universe added weight to the launch outlook, saying next year will mark a pivotal step toward a glass-forward design.
![The Apple logo [Reuters]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/08/13/news-p.v1.20260805.47504b582e254d9eacb61099bde67081_P1.png)
The all-glass iPhone is envisioned as a device that dramatically increases the proportion of glass on both the front and back. Apple is said to have conceived the project as part of a sweeping design overhaul to mark the iPhone's 20th anniversary.
The handset is expected to feature a four-sided curved-edge design with virtually no visible bezel. The concept uses the refraction and contour of glass to create a seamless visual flow between the front, back and sides — giving the impression that no frame exists at all.
However, it remains unclear whether the all-glass iPhone will launch as an entirely new product line. MacRumors suggested Apple may instead increase the glass content on existing high-end models rather than add a separate new one. There is also speculation that the final design could differ from the fully glass form originally envisioned.
Meanwhile, Apple's broader push into new form factors is set to accelerate, with the company's first foldable iPhone due to be unveiled next month. Apple is also developing AI-powered smart glasses, which could arrive as early as June next year.
sjpark@heraldcorp.com
