Apple to Skip iPhone 19 and Release iPhone 20 Models in 2027
A research firm has predicted that Apple will bypass the iPhone 19 designation entirely when it updates its flagship smartphone lineup in 2027, opting instead for iPhone 20 branding to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the original iPhone.
The move would echo Apple's decision in 2017 to skip iPhone 9 and launch the iPhone X alongside the iPhone 8 series.
According to Omdia Chief Researcher Heo Moo-yeol, speaking at a conference in Seoul last October, Apple plans a staggered 2027 rollout that begins in the first half of the year with an iPhone 18e and a standard iPhone 18.
The second half would then bring a next-generation iPhone Air along with the iPhone 20 Pro, iPhone 20 Pro Max and a second-generation foldable iPhone.
“Apple will launch iPhone 18e and iPhone 20 in the first half of 2027, and iPhone 20 Air, Pro, Pro Max and iPhone Fold 2 will be released in the second half of 2027,” Heo said, as reported by ETNews.
The prediction aligns with broader supply-chain shifts already underway.
Apple has told some suppliers that the standard iPhone 18 will not appear in the traditional September 2026 window, with only premium models and the first foldable iPhone slated for that fall.
Apple is moving toward biannual releases to sustain sales momentum throughout the year rather than concentrating them in the fourth quarter.
Supply-chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and The Information have reported similar plans, noting that Apple cut iPhone panel orders by about 20 million units in preparation.
As of late March 2026, CNET noted that the exact name for the anniversary device remains unconfirmed. Speculation includes iPhone XX, iPhone 2027 to match future iOS versioning, or simply iPhone 20.
No official Apple statement has addressed the naming strategy though, and the company has not commented on anniversary-specific hardware.
Rumors continue to point to a major redesign for at least one 2027 model, potentially featuring an all-glass body, buttonless design with haptic feedback and an edge-to-edge display.
Social media posts claiming Apple will leap from the iPhone 18 directly to an iPhone 27 series have circulated in recent days, but lack support from any analyst or supply-chain source.
Those claims surfaced primarily on April 1 and appear to have been part of the annual wave of tech-related April Fools pranks, with no connection to the established iPhone 20 speculation.
The 2027 timeline would place the iPhone 20 roughly 20 years after the original iPhone went on sale in June 2007.
Apple has used milestone releases before to introduce significant design changes, as it did with the iPhone X.
Whether the company ultimately adopts the iPhone 20 name or opts for another approach will become clearer as suppliers finalize production plans later this year.
