Should You Upgrade to iPhone 18 Pro? Foreign Media Reveals Major Redesign Won't Come Until 2027 — 9 Key Features to Watch

The Apple iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are officially launching, but foreign media outlet MacRumors is advising Apple fans to think twice before upgrading this year. The reason? The iPhone 18 Pro is expected to continue the overall design direction of the iPhone 17 Pro, with a true major redesign possibly reserved for 2027—the 20th anniversary of the iPhone's debut. Market rumors even suggest Apple might follow its 2017 strategy of skipping iPhone 9 and directly launching the iPhone X, bypassing 'iPhone 19' altogether and introducing the 'iPhone 20' or another 20th-anniversary name. This model could feature significant changes such as quad-curved glass, thinner OLED displays, under-display Face ID, in-house image sensors, solid-state buttons, the A21 chip, silicon-anode batteries, and high-bandwidth memory.

The iPhone 18 Pro series is about to launch, but foreign media suggest that 2027, marking the 20th anniversary of the iPhone, could bring a more substantial design overhaul. (Image: Apple official website)

Why are foreign media advising against buying the iPhone 18 Pro? The real big changes may come in 2027.

This year’s iPhone 18 Pro isn’t without upgrades. Current market rumors include the A20 Pro chip, a smaller Dynamic Island, improved camera functions, and internal upgrades to cooling and communication systems. However, no drastic changes to the overall design are expected. In other words, users upgrading from the iPhone 17 Pro may not experience a strong sense of visual novelty.

In contrast, 2027 marks the 20th anniversary of the first iPhone’s release. Market reports suggest Apple is preparing a major design overhaul. In 2017, for the 10th anniversary, Apple introduced the iPhone X, eliminating the Home button and introducing Face ID and a full-screen display—fundamentally changing the design direction of multiple subsequent iPhone generations. As such, 2027 is widely seen as the next pivotal milestone.

1. Quad-Curved Glass: The 20th Anniversary iPhone Aims for Nearly Borderless Design

The most anticipated change is to the front design. Reports indicate Apple is exploring a design where the glass extends over all four edges of the device, making the metal frame nearly invisible from normal viewing angles. The visual effect would resemble a single, uninterrupted glass surface.

Related reports suggest Apple aims for a 'single, seamless glass' aesthetic and is reportedly collaborating with Samsung to develop equally deep quad-curved panels. If mass-produced, the design difference from the iPhone 18 Pro would be significant and could become one of the most recognizable features of the 20th-anniversary model.

2. Thinner, Brighter OLEDs—Potentially More Power-Efficient

Beyond the exterior, the display panel itself may also change. Rumors suggest the 20th-anniversary iPhone could use a new OLED from Samsung featuring 'Color Filter on Encapsulation' technology, integrating the color filter directly into the encapsulation layer, reducing overall panel thickness.

This approach could theoretically allow more light to pass through, increasing brightness while reducing power consumption. A thinner display module could also free up space for the battery, camera, or other internal components, offering greater flexibility in internal layout.

3. Dynamic Island May Shrink Further—or Challenge Under-Display Face ID

If you're most concerned about a 'full-screen' experience, 2027 is definitely worth watching. Market rumors continue to suggest Apple is testing under-display Face ID and under-display front cameras, with the ultimate goal of eliminating the Dynamic Island or punch-hole entirely.

However, this technology remains the most uncertain among the nine rumored features. Display analyst Ross Young has offered a different perspective, suggesting the 2027 iPhone might still retain a smaller version of Dynamic Island, and a truly complete full-screen design may not be ready for mass production on schedule. Therefore, it's premature to definitively state that the 'iPhone 20 will have no Dynamic Island.'

4. Apple’s In-House Image Sensor—Aiming for Up to 20-Stop Dynamic Range

The camera could be another major generational leap. Reports suggest Apple is developing its own stacked image sensor to reduce reliance on Sony sensors. It’s even rumored that a working prototype has already been completed.

These sensors are said to use LOFIC technology, allowing individual pixels to store different charge levels under varying light conditions, theoretically increasing dynamic range. Market rumors even suggest a maximum of up to 20 stops. If successfully integrated into the iPhone, this could significantly improve performance in backlit, high-contrast, and night photography.

5. Physical Buttons May Gradually Disappear—Replaced by Haptic Feedback

Apple has long been rumored to be researching solid-state buttons, and the 20th-anniversary iPhone is once again being mentioned. Volume buttons, side power buttons, Action buttons, and Camera Control could all be redesigned to eliminate actual physical depression.

When pressed, the system would simulate tactile feedback using vibration motors. The feel of pressing a button would remain, but the internal mechanism would no longer require traditional mechanical parts. In theory, this could reduce component wear, improve water and dust resistance, and allow for better internal space utilization.

6. A21 Chip to Succeed A20 Pro—Reportedly Using Second-Gen 2nm Process

The iPhone 18 Pro is expected to be the first to feature the A20 Pro chip, but by the 20th-anniversary generation, the next-generation A21 series is expected to be a core upgrade.

Current market expectations suggest the A21 will use a more mature second-generation 2nm process, further improving CPU and GPU performance and energy efficiency. As demand for Apple Intelligence and on-device AI processing grows, chip upgrades may focus less on benchmark scores and more on generative AI, image processing, and local model execution capabilities.

7. Silicon-Anode Batteries May Arrive—Longer Battery Life in the Same Size

Battery technology could also see significant changes in 2027. Apple is reportedly researching silicon-anode batteries, leveraging silicon’s ability to store more lithium ions than traditional graphite, thereby increasing battery capacity per unit volume.

If successfully commercialized, this could improve battery life without significantly increasing device thickness—meaning longer usage time without simply 'fitting a larger battery.' However, this remains a developing technology, and it’s uncertain whether it will make it into the iPhone 20 production line on time.

8. Mobile High-Bandwidth Memory—Paving the Way for AI Processing

Another change that may not be immediately visible but could impact future AI capabilities is the memory architecture. Market rumors suggest Apple is evaluating the adoption of vertically stacked DRAM—similar to mobile high-bandwidth memory.

Higher memory bandwidth allows the chip to access large amounts of data more quickly, benefiting large language models, photo and video processing, and on-device AI inference. If Apple plans to run more AI functions locally on the iPhone, this upgrade could become more important than simply increasing RAM capacity.

9. Screen Size May Increase Further—Pro Max Approaching 7 Inches

Another key point highlighted by foreign media is screen size. Earlier reports suggested the 20th-anniversary iPhone Pro would be around 6.4 inches and the Pro Max 7 inches, but more recent MacRumors analysis leans toward both models maintaining approximately 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches.

The '7-inch' speculation may stem from further narrowed bezels and higher screen-to-body ratios, meaning that even if the physical device size doesn’t increase significantly, the visual display area could appear closer to 7 inches. At this stage, size figures remain speculative and should not be considered final specifications.

Will iPhone 19 Really Be Skipped? Currently Just Market Speculation

Another factor fueling the rapid rise of the 'iPhone 20' discussion is product naming. In 2017, Apple skipped iPhone 9 and went directly from iPhone 8 to iPhone X, so the market widely speculates that in 2027, Apple might again skip 'iPhone 19' for a 20th-anniversary edition named 'iPhone 20' or similar, introducing major changes.

However, Apple has not announced any naming plans for 2027. 'iPhone 20' and 'iPhone XX' are merely temporary names used externally. The 20th-anniversary version could become a standalone high-end model. Therefore, the most accurate current phrasing remains '2027 20th-anniversary iPhone,' and assuming iPhone 19 will be skipped is premature.

Should You Buy the iPhone 18 Pro? It Depends on Your Current Device

If your current iPhone is still running smoothly, battery health is normal, and what you truly want is a completely new design, a more complete full-screen experience, and significantly improved camera and battery technology, then based on current leaks, there’s a strong reason to wait until 2027. Especially for users of the iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro,