Apple May Finally Eliminate the Bezels on the ‘iPhone 20’

We’re still months away from the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro, and leakers are already sharing reports on what they believe is coming in next year’s so-called “iPhone 20.”

While it’s not clear how much of this is wishful speculation, the consensus among pundits is that Apple plans to do something really big for next year’s iPhone model to commemorate the device’s 20th anniversary. At a very minimum, some expect Apple to skip the “iPhone 19” next year and go straight to the “iPhone 20,” similar to what it did with the iPhone X in 2017.

If that holds true, we might start thinking Apple has an aversion to the number 9. After all, it chose to go straight from iOS 18 to iOS 26 last year, but as a counterpoint, we’ve also recently seen the Apple Watch Series 9, so maybe it’s just an iPhone thing.

Regardless, the name will likely remain the most mysterious thing about the 2027 iPhone until the day it’s announced. Apple has a habit of holding its cards closely when it comes to product names, especially when it’s planning to surprise us like it did with last month’s MacBook Neo — a name that felt like it came out of nowhere.

However, it’s much harder for Apple to keep its design elements under wraps. That’s because the company has dozens, if not hundreds, of suppliers working on fabricating parts for its hardware. Long before Apple’s designs are finalized, the company often orders test runs of key components like displays so it can try and work them into prototypes.

This is likely why we’ve recently seen a new spate of rumors kicking off in recent weeks, as the iPhone 18 Pro is locked in by now, which means the timing is about right for Apple to start getting serious about next year’s Pro model.

A new report last week claimed that Apple is sourcing a new “micro-curved” display from Samsung for next year’s iPhone, and now a new report from another leaker is obliquely confirming that Apple is using the new technology to reach the holy grail of a completely bezel-free display.

While it’s relatively easy to use a curved display to eliminate the bezels — just wrap the screen around the edges — the reality is that curved screens are so very “last decade” at this point. Some can argue that if anyone can reinvigorate that concept, it would be Apple, but it would still feel like a weird throwback to adopt a design that was considered passé on Samsung phones eight years ago.

Still, modern technology means it’s no longer necessary to go all-in on the curves, and that’s where these two recent leaks appear to align. According to Ice Universe, Apple could usher in the new decade of the iPhone with a “Liquid Glass Display,” with an “extremely subtle” curvature.

The leaker, who has a respectable track record when it comes to such things, adds that there may be more to making the bezels go away than just the curves. Apple is reportedly looking at other optical techniques to hide the bezel almost completely from sight, not unlike what it did with the Apple Watch Series 7 in 2021.

This is a slight shift for Ice Universe, who pointed to a quad-curved design in January. However, it’s also not technically a contradiction, as the leaker’s recent tweet says Apple won’t use a “traditional” quad-curved display. Based on what Digital Chat Station shared last week, it appears Samsung is building something a bit more unique that could easily be considered “non-traditional.”

While it’s still too early to infer much into Apple’s plans, we think the odds are definitely in favor of a bezel-free display, It’s something Apple has reportedly been pursuing for several years, alongside a seamless, notch-free screen, so it’s a safe bet that both of those things are coming — eventually.

The open question is whether Apple will have them ready for next year’s “anniversary” model. Display analyst Ross Young has already gone on record to say the notch isn’t ready to go away yet, and while the curved bezel-free screen sounds more promising, let’s not forget that Apple began testing foldable displays six years ago, for an iPhone that it’s only (reportedly) preparing to launch this year.

As I’ve said before, product anniversaries are of more interest to Apple fans, and they certainly don’t dictate Apple’s roadmap. While many tout the iPhone X as the 10th anniversary model, that was more serendipity than deliberate timing, and, despite reliable reports, a predicted tenth-anniversary “Apple Watch X” failed to materialize.

Apple releases products when they’re ready. There’s no doubt that Apple is working on these improvements, and if it can have them ready to mark next year’s milestone, that’s a bonus. However, it’s the last company that will rush half-baked technology out just to celebrate an arbitrary calendar date.

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]