20th Anniversary iPhone's Curved Display to Improve a Year Later

[MacRumors]

Apple is already planning a second version of the "four-edge bending" display that is rumored to debut on next year's 20th-anniversary iPhone, claims a new report out of Korea.

For the 20th-anniversary iPhone, Apple is said to be introducing a display that curves down around all four edges of the device for a borderless visual experience. It could be one of the biggest design shifts in the iPhone's history since the 10th anniversary iPhone X, which saw Apple drop the Home button, introduce a notched display, and adopt an intuitive swipe gesture-based navigation interface.

Today, ETNews reports that Apple is planning a two-stage rollout for the new OLED display technology that the commemorative iPhone will use, with a more advanced version said to be coming a year later.

For the 2027 variant, Apple will reportedly rely on OLED technology that uses a magnesium-silver (MgAg) alloy in the cathode layer. This implementation can cause image distortion and brightness loss in the curved areas, but Apple is apparently willing to live with the compromise for the 20th-anniversary iPhone while more advanced technology scales.

Apple then plans to address the issue in 2028 by transitioning to next-generation transparent electrodes. Apple will reportedly switch to indium zinc oxide (IZO) cathode materials, and because IZO is more transparent, it should reduce distortion, uneven brightness, and heat issues around the curved edges while enabling even narrower bezels.

ETNews reports that Samsung Display and LG Display have already been put on alert to prepare for the two-stage rollout. LG recently announced a ₩1.106 trillion investment (roughly $790 million) in OLED infrastructure, which industry observers believe is connected to development and mass production of the new technology.

Meanwhile, Samsung is reportedly evaluating whether its existing OLED lines can accommodate the required hardware, but a dedicated production line is not out of the question, and may well be necessary.

Bloomberg in May 2025 reported on Apple's plans to launch a "mostly glass, curved iPhone without any cutouts in the display" for its 20th-anniversary model. The Information last year also cited multiple sources claiming that at least one new iPhone model launching in 2027 will have a truly edge-to-edge display.

Article Link: 20th Anniversary iPhone's Curved Display to Improve a Year Later

 

[HouseLannister]

2 days ago: X Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 18 Pro
Yesterday: Wait for the 20th Anniversary iPhone
Today: Just Keep Waiting
Tomorrow: Every iPhone is increasing by $200 due to the RAM shortage

 

[xxFoxtail]

I can’t imagine the repair cost after I drop this thing once. It better have very strong glass.

 

[pcd213]

I think I’ll wait until iPhone 30

 

[sunapple]

I can’t imagine the repair cost after I drop this thing once. It better have very strong glass.

Glass is glass and glass breaks.

 

[User 6502]

No need to tell me, I wasn’t going to get it anyway. Other companies have perfected this technology for almost a decade. Apple’s first attempt is almost guaranteed to be an expensive beta full of issues.

 

[dandyryan]

is there going to be a base iPhone 20 model or will the "base" be the iPhone 19?
iPhone XX?
iPhone 21 or iPhone (2028)?

 

[attila]

OK, so I'll wait for the 20.1st anniversary version then. Thanks!

 

[attila]

is there going to be a base iPhone 20 model or will the "base" be the iPhone 19?
iPhone XX?
iPhone 21 or iPhone (2028)?

"The iPhone"

 

[Lestdog]

Great, a novelty feature with no material benefits and you’ll be too afraid to show off for fear you drop the device.

 

[klasma]

I can’t imagine the repair cost after I drop this thing once. It better have very strong glass.

It will still have a metal band on the sides. The MacRumors mockup image is misleading, the curved edge will only be a millimeter or so.

 

[Ifti]

How would one use a case with such a design?
Unless it's finally time to go case-less?......

 

[attila]

How would one use a case with such a design?
Unless it's finally time to go case-less?......

It's near my 20th anniversary of being case-less.

 

[Berti10]

Breaking news: the iPhone n+1 will be better than the iPhone n.

Mind. Blown.

 

[klasma]

How would one use a case with such a design?
Unless it's finally time to go case-less?......

Can you still see the black bezel around the screen with your case? The goal of the “curved edge” design is to remove that black bezel, not more, not less.

 

[nottorp]

Are they complete idiots?

The only phone that I replaced because it was starting to crack was the XS, because of the ****ing curved display.

 

[k1121j]

I think I’ve heard “truly edge to edge” screen the last 8 years now, still haven’t seen one. I hear about shrinking bezels every year but by now they should be invisible and there still there.

 

[winxmac]

Samsung went from flat display to curved display back to flat display while Apple is supposedly going from flat display to curved display.

 

[Le0M]

I bet we'll start seeing a greater adoption of transparent cases once Apple will introduce curved displays' iPhone(s)

 

[woodbine]

Are they complete idiots?

The only phone that I replaced because it was starting to crack was the XS, because of the ****ing curved display.

I'm waiting for my XS battery to die, then I'll get a new phone. So far 79%.

 

[xiJulian_]

“New phone will be better than the previous one” how is this news????

 

[Bako-MacAddict]

I’ve been hearing this rumor since the 5’s came out.

 

[Schtibbie]

I actively do not want a curved display.

 

[fullauto]

Love this phone. Excited to see how they use animation and depth/perspective… like looking at your phone side on and seeing the edges of app icon/widgets floating in air, in a piece of glass. They could do some really clever things.

 

[smaffei]

Good luck getting a screen protector to work with that.