Omdia: Base iPhone 20 To Launch In Early 2027, Months Ahead Of The Big‑redesign 20th‑anniversary iPhone

Apple is widely expected to release a 20th anniversary iPhone model in 2027 that will introduce a major redesign to mark the occasion, similar to what the company did in 2017 with the iPhone X. We've long referred to that iPhone model as the iPhone 20, a placeholder name that makes sense given the iPhone X precedent, but research firm Omdia just delivered an unexpected twist. ETNews reports that senior analyst Heo Moo-yeol said at a conference on Wednesday that Apple will introduce the first iPhone 20 model in early 2027, alongside the budget-friendly iPhone 18e. In the second half of 2027, the "iPhone 20 Air, Pro, Pro Max, and iPhone Fold 2" will be released.

Omdia teases a significant branding overhaul for the iPhone, beyond skipping the iPhone 19 name. First, the iPhone 19 is what we'd expect Apple to use in 2027, following the iPhone 18 series coming next year. But since 2027 marks the 20th anniversary of the iPhone, Apple will want to introduce an iPhone 20. Coincidentally, Apple skipped the iPhone 9 series in 2017 when it launched the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X.

Second, Omdia's prediction aligns with other reports that Apple will change its iPhone lineup next September. The first iPhone Fold will be included in the iPhone 18 series. As a result, the standard iPhone 18 will be pushed to the first half of 2027. But if Heo's prediction is accurate, Apple will not use the iPhone 18 name for the standard iPhone that is to launch alongside the iPhone 18e in the spring of 2027. Instead, Apple will rebrand the base model as iPhone 20, which will precede the flagship iPhones coming in September 2027, including the big redesign for the 20th anniversary iPhone.

If the standard iPhone 18 becomes the iPhone 20 in early 2027, Apple will need a catchy name for the 20th anniversary iPhone. In 2017, it used a Roman numeral for the iPhone X. Omdia says the fall 2027 iPhone lineup will include the iPhone 20 Air, Pro, Pro Max, and iPhone Fold 2. One of these models will likely become that 20th anniversary iPhone, so a name change might be expected. On that note, the "iPhone 20 Air" name seems unlikely, given that the first-generation ultra-slim handset is called iPhone Air instead of iPhone 17 Air.

The reason Apple has to deal with these branding issues concerns the way Apple has marketed the iPhone since the first model. Apple hasn't always used the current iPhone naming scheme, which moves by one unit each year. Apple released "iPhone S" models in some years, including the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4s, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6s, and iPhone XS/XR models. That's why it found itself skipping the iPhone 9 name and why the iPhone 19 series is expected to become iPhone 20. However, launching the iPhone 18e alongside a standard iPhone 20 model in spring 2027 would still be confusing. And, again, the iPhone Air has no number. It's unclear whether iPhone Fold coming next year would get the "18" particle in the name.

iPhone naming aside, the research firm expects iPhone shipments to cause a temporary dip in display shipments in 2026. The lack of a base iPhone 18 means vendors will provide Apple with about 20 million fewer OLED panels. The foldable iPhone will ship over 8 million units in the first year. However, production should recover in 2027, when Apple will launch six iPhone models between the spring and fall releases.