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How the iPhone Will Change Over the Next Three Years, According to Bloomberg

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Apple has big plans for the next few years. That’s according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who has a good track record for covering Apple leaks and rumors. Gurman’s most substantial details right now concern a three-year plan to upgrade the iPhone line, but there are rumors to explore that cover almost the entirety of the company’s product line.

As with any coverage of leaks and rumors, this is not meant to be definitive. Apple could end up doing all, some, or none of these things. While some predictions here are likelier than others, we just won’t know what Apple’s plans are until the company makes them official over the coming years.

iPhone

If you’re tired of Apple’s tried-and-true iPhone design, Gurman has some good news for you. The reporter claims that Apple has plans to introduce a different iPhone design every year for the next three years. Here’s what to expect:

2025: iPhone Air

The iPhone Air kicks things off next month, replacing the iPhone 16 Plus from the lineup. Apple’s first big design change will supposedly make the iPhone thinner and lighter than ever. Think how a MacBook Air compares to a Pro: Those who prefer a thin and light experience might find the newest iPhone preferable to the existing design, which will likely stay the same for the rest of the iPhone 17 series. Gurman warns that shaving off those ounces and centimeters will come at a price, namely lower battery life, a single rear camera, and no physical SIM support—though Apple has been eSIM only in the U.S. since the iPhone 14.

If you’d prefer one of the traditional iPhones, which includes the 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max, don’t expect much new here. Gurman notes these iPhones will offer an orange model, while the Air will ship in light blue, but it seems the changes will be modest this year. The report doesn’t specify, but I imagine it’s the same-old situation here, including upgraded processors and cameras, while retaining the same general look and feel. The price, however, may increase due to tariffs.

2026: Foldable iPhone

Where you’ll see more movement is in a year from now. Apple is rumored to be dropping a foldable iPhone for the first time. According to Gurman, Apple is opting for the tablet-style foldable, rather than the flip phone design. Personally, I can’t decide which I’d prefer: A portable iPhone/iPad hybrid is quite intriguing, but I still can’t shake the thought of an iPhone/Razr hybrid. Maybe it’s the millennial in me.

Gurman says this new foldable will come with four cameras (one on the front screen, one inside when you open the foldable, and two on the back), and will, surprisingly, come with Touch ID rather than Face ID. Apple does offer Touch ID on some iPad models, so maybe it’s taking that same approach with its first smartphone/tablet combo as well. The foldable could come in just white and black models, and may ship with the company’s proprietary C2 modem, which Gurman says rivals Qualcomm modems. The iPhone 18 Pro line may also come with this modem.

Apple may also be planning an iPhone 17e for 2026, to replace the iPhone 16e once the iPhone 17 drops in the fall.

2027: ‘iPhone 20’

It seems a bit wild to think about, but in just two years’ time, the iPhone will turn 20. The iPhone, and the smartphones that launched shortly after, changed the world for better and for worse. To commemorate the occasion, Apple might update the iPhone’s design once more.

We don’t have a ton of details yet, but according to Gurman, the “iPhone 20” will opt for “curved glass edges” all around the device, as opposed to the rectangular design Apple has used for the past five years. Gurman theorizing this will work well with the company’s new “Liquid Glass” design for iOS, which makes sense. Hopefully we get some more rumors about this iPhone soon, though 2027 is still pretty far away.


What do you think so far?

In any case, it wouldn’t be the first time Apple saved a major design change for a major anniversary. The iPhone X dropped in 2017, and marked 10 years of iPhone. It, too, was a radical departure in design, dropping the iconic Home button and, with it, top and bottom bezels that defined the iPhone for that first decade.

Other Apple products

Apple, of course, doesn’t just make the iPhone. Gurman has rumors for other Apple devices coming down the line, though the details are lacking compared to their iPhone counterparts.

It won’t come as a surprise to learn that Apple will likely drop new Apple Watches this fall. The company may also release new iPad Pros with the new M5 chip—which has not shipped in any MacBooks yet—as well as cameras on both the portrait and landscape sides of the tablet. For mixed reality fans, Apple may drop faster Vision Pros, though the current ones are struggling to sell. The company may also release new AirPods Pro, potentially with heart-rate monitoring, and may refresh the HomePod minis and Apple TV (not to be confused with Apple TV+, of course).

Gurman predicts Apple’s 2026 involves refreshed base-model iPhones, iPad Airs, and M5 Macs—specifically MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs. We may get new accessories, including a brand new external display. Speaking of displays, this might be the year for Apple’s HomePod with a screen, which would directly compete with similar smart home products from Amazon and Google.

If we entertain some far-reaching rumors, Gurman thinks Apple will eventually release smart glasses to compete with Meta, a true smart home robot, a more affordable Vision Pro, AirPods with embedded cameras, a foldable iPad/Mac hybrid, and a home security camera. I’d take these with a grain of salt, since we’re so far away from these deadlines, and, even if they’re true, Apple could change its development plans at any time.

Apple Health+

Gurman isn’t just about the hardware here. In addition to discussing previously-announced things like AppleCare One and a price increase for Apple TV+, he also dropped a note about an upcoming subscription to sit alongside Apple’s current offerings: Apple Health+. This will reportedly be an “AI-based health coach,” which will come with nutrition and medical advice.

I’m a bit skeptical of anything AI and health related, but we’ll have to see how Apple handles this. The company typically boasts about its approach to health, especially when it comes to the Apple Watch, as well as user privacy—two things AI doesn’t currently have the best reputation for. But, like any unreleased (and unannounced) product, we’ll have to wait and see what Health+ shapes up to be.

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