Will there be an iPhone 19? Or will Apple repeat the iPhone X move for the 20th anniversary?

Do you remember September 2017? During the launch of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, Apple suddenly introduced a third model - the iPhone X. It was their first phone without a physical Home button and with an edge-to-edge display. At the time, the company was celebrating the 10th anniversary of the launch of their first iPhone and decided to skip the number 9, jumping straight to the Roman numeral X.

Today, nearly a decade later, many of us are wondering whether history will repeat itself.

In 2027, the iPhone will turn 20 years old. This is a major milestone, and according to numerous analysts and supply chain rumors, the company may once again opt for a symbolic gesture - instead of the usual and expected iPhone 19 model, they might introduce a special model that directly carries the anniversary name iPhone 20 (or even something in the spirit of XX, though that doesn’t sound quite as good). The idea is for this smartphone to bring the same level of excitement and radical innovation that the iPhone X delivered in 2017.

Back to the roots

On January 9, 2007, Steve Jobs took the stage and introduced a device that changed the world - the first iPhone. A smartphone with a glass capacitive display, an intuitive multi-touch interface, and no physical keyboard. If you want to recall just how revolutionary it was at the time, I recommend reading 10 Interesting Facts About the First iPhone.

Today, Apple is a massive company with dozens of products and services - from iPad and MacBook to Apple Watch and Vision Pro, as well as Apple iCloud, Music, TV+, and financial services. Nevertheless, the iPhone continues to generate approximately 60% of the company’s total revenue. This fact alone speaks volumes about the strong emotional connection consumers have with the product and how high the expectations are for every new generation.

New Leadership, New Opportunities

In April 2026, Apple announced a significant leadership change: Tim Cook will transition to the role of Executive Chairman, and starting September 1, 2026, John Ternus (long-time Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering) will become the new Chief Executive Officer.

Ternus is the person who has been responsible for the hardware development of the iPhone and Mac for many years. Many see this passing of the baton as a potential for bolder hardware innovations - exactly what is needed for a 20th anniversary.

What Can We Expect?

We are still far from official details, but rumors point to significant design changes in 2027 - a more radical edge-to-edge display, the potential removal of all cutouts, new materials, and perhaps even more ambitious forms (such as a thinner Air-style profile or elements from their long-awaited foldable phone).

Official news and the presentation are expected no earlier than September 2027. Until then, there will be plenty of speculation, but one thing is certain: Apple knows how to turn anniversaries into truly memorable moments.

Will we see an iPhone 19, or will the company repeat its 2017 move and gift us an iPhone 20? Personally, I’m hoping for the latter. Because it’s in moments like these that Apple reminds us why it remains one of the most exciting technology brands.