Multiple reports describe an iPhone chassis dominated by glass. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has described the design as a "mostly glass, curved iPhone without any cutouts" that resembles a single uninterrupted slab of glass.
The body is said to be inspired by the iPhone Air, with curved glass wrapping around all four edges, eliminating the visible metal frame of current Pro models. To manage thermals in this thinner glass construction, Apple has reportedly ramped up orders for vapor chamber cooling components, with leakers claiming the internal heat dissipation plate will be enlarged by roughly one inch compared to current Pro models.
Solid-state haptic buttons — internally referred to as "Project Bongo" — are expected to replace every physical button, including volume, power, Action, and the Camera button. These controls use localized vibrations to simulate click depth, leaving the glass chassis completely uninterrupted. Supply-chain sources describe a completely buttonless exterior with no cutouts, ports, or mechanical switches.
Apple has reportedly asked Samsung Display for an "equal-depth quad-curved" OLED panel that bends gently on all four sides, using shallow micro-curves rather than aggressive "waterfall" edges. Some leakers call this the "Liquid Glass Display." The bezels are rumored to shrink to roughly 1.1 mm.
Two display sizes are currently being sampled in Apple's labs:
Apple's goal is a true all-screen front with zero cutouts — no notch, no Dynamic Island, and no visible selfie camera. Both Face ID sensors and the front-facing camera are rumored to sit beneath the active display area, with one report describing a "spliced micro-transparent glass" window to let infrared sensors pass through. The earpiece speaker grille is also expected to be eliminated, replaced by under-display audio technology.
However, the front of the device remains the most uncertain aspect of the design. Display analyst Ross Young has said that under-display Face ID may not be ready for a 2027 iPhone, and other leakers have warned that the all-screen, no-cutout design may face delays if the under-display camera quality does not meet Apple's standards.
The anniversary models are expected to be powered by the A21 application processor, internally code-named "Naxos," built by TSMC on a second-generation 2nm (N2) process. The same A21 is expected to also power Apple's second-generation foldable iPhone launching alongside it.
Some reports suggest the A21 will be paired with faster 3D-stacked or HBM-type memory to accelerate on-device AI performance.
Apple is reportedly exploring a new silicon-anode battery chemistry that could significantly increase energy density without increasing physical size. Some sources claim up to double the capacity in the same footprint. The Pro Max model is rumored to target a roughly 6,000 mAh battery, enabled by this new silicon-carbon technology.
Reverse wireless charging is also expected to debut on these models, allowing the iPhone to charge AirPods or an Apple Watch from its back.
Multiple leaks point to a custom 200MP primary sensor developed by Apple from scratch, paired with LOFIC (Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor) technology for up to 20 stops of dynamic range in highlights and shadows. The under-display selfie camera is acknowledged as a major engineering challenge, particularly for image quality and brightness. Apple and Samsung Display are reportedly collaborating to solve these issues.