Apple’s anniversary iPhone may bring back a glass back

Apple’s long-running ambition for the iPhone may finally be coming into focus. Former design chief Jony Ive often described the ideal as “a single slab of glass,” and according to 9to5Mac, Apple appears to still be chasing that look for the 20th anniversary iPhone.

The exact branding is still unclear. Earlier speculation pointed to a standalone anniversary model, but more recent reports suggest the design could instead arrive as the iPhone 19 Pro. Some sources also think Apple could skip that name entirely and call it the iPhone 20 Pro to match the anniversary.

At this stage, the reporting remains highly speculative. Still, several rumored hardware changes line up around the same goal: a display that curves away on all four sides to create the impression of almost no bezel, plus Face ID moved under the display. There are also hopes that the front camera and speaker could be hidden beneath the screen as well.

A new claim from leaker Fixed Focus Digital adds another possible piece: a glass back. According to the leak, Apple’s preferred direction for next year’s iPhone 20 is to return to glass instead of the aluminium used on recent models, with production quality said to be on par with the first-generation Air and manufacturing facilities already prepared.

That shift would likely make the phone more fragile, but it would also push the design closer to the all-glass appearance Apple has reportedly wanted for years.

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