Apple may have scrapped its all-glass iPhone redesign

Apple has reportedly been developing a curved iPhone with glass wrapping smoothly around the front and back to create the appearance of a single continuous surface. New supply-chain information suggests the company may have abandoned the radical redesign.

9to5Mac reports, citing Jefferies analyst Edison Lee, that supply-chain checks indicate development may have been halted because of concerns over potentially high manufacturing defect rates.

• Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman previously reported that the anniversary iPhone could feature a display curved on all four sides, virtually no bezels and Face ID hidden beneath the screen.
• The design was reportedly not intended to resemble the pronounced waterfall displays previously used by Samsung and other manufacturers. Apple was said to be exploring much subtler curves of equal depth along all four edges.
• Jefferies had previously considered the device likely to reach the market. Analysts estimated that if it launched in September 2027, its average retail price could reach around $2,060.
• Lee described the potential cancellation as a “major setback” for Apple’s efforts to sell more expensive iPhones as memory costs rise sharply.

Apple had reportedly planned to bring elements of the all-glass design to other Pro and Pro Max models later on. It remains unclear whether the company has abandoned the anniversary redesign entirely.

Lee did not specify whether Apple has stopped work on the whole project or only certain elements of it. The company could still retain features such as a display that curves subtly along all four sides.