Apple's Three-Year Plan to 'Reinvent' the iPhone is Underway

Apple is in the middle of a three-year plan to "reinvent" the look and feel of the iPhone, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In a report this week, Gurman said the plan is as follows:

• September 2025: The redesigned iPhone 17 Pro models and an all-new iPhone Air (✅)
• September 2026: A foldable iPhone
• September 2027: A special 20th-anniversary iPhone

The report said this iPhone roadmap has been a "priority" for Apple's leadership, including hardware engineering chief John Ternus, who is widely considered to be the leading candidate to succeed Tim Cook as Apple's CEO in the future.

The plan began last September with the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, which ushered in a new aluminum design with a so-called "plateau" housing the three rear cameras and a rear Ceramic Shield glass area for MagSafe charging and accessories. At the same time, Apple released the iPhone Air, which is the thinnest iPhone ever.

This year, Apple is expected to release its long-awaited foldable iPhone.

Like Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7, the foldable iPhone will reportedly open up like a book, providing users with a large screen for watching videos, playing games, and multitasking. iOS 27 is expected to have some changes that are exclusive to the foldable iPhone, including side-by-side apps and other iPadOS-like multitasking functionality.

Late last year, a report said the foldable iPhone will be equipped with a 7.7-inch inner display, and a 5.3-inch outer display. It was initially rumored that the device would have a virtually "crease-free" inner display, but it was later reported that Apple is using technology that "reduces the crease without eliminating it entirely."

Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects the foldable iPhone to have two rear cameras, one front camera, and a Touch ID power button instead of Face ID.

As for the 20th-anniversary iPhone, previous reports have indicated that the device will have a seamless design, with a curved glass enclosure and no cutouts in the display. To achieve this, the front camera would be located under the screen. However, it remains to be seen if Apple actually achieves such an ambitious design by next year.

Apple reported record-breaking revenue of $143.8 billion last quarter. iPhone revenue in the quarter was $85.2 billion, a new all-time high.

"iPhone had its best-ever quarter driven by unprecedented demand, with all-time records across every geographic segment," said Apple CEO Tim Cook, in Apple's press release earlier this year. He later commented that iPhone demand during the quarter was "simply staggering" and topped Apple's internal expectations. The upcoming foldable iPhone and 20th-anniversary iPhone models could help Apple to sustain this momentum.