In summary
- 20th anniversary model rumours appear again
- iPhone 20 tipped to scrap mechanical buttons
- New LOFIC camera sensor also tipped
The iPhone 17 smartphone is little over a month old, but we’re already hearing rumours about the iPhone 20.
The company did something similar to mark its tenth anniversary with the iPhone X in 2017, even though it launched alongside the iPhone 8 .
Apple apparently has something special up its sleeve to mark the event, with a radical redesign planned. Here’s what we’ve heard.
iPhone 20 to drop all buttons
Apple has been in the habit of adding physical buttons to its iPhone in recent years – first the Action Button (technically a replacement, but still), then the Camera Control.
This has run counter to persistent rumours over the years that Apple is seeking to do away with mechanical buttons altogether. According to leaker Momentary Digital , Apple is reserving that particular trick for its 20th anniversary model.
“Apple’s iPhone solid-state button solution has completed functional verification and is scheduled for mass production on the 2027 iPhone 20,” they wrote (via machine translation) on Weibo.
With this phone, the power button, volume rocker, Action Button, and Camera Control will all exist as solid state buttons with haptic feedback giving the illusion of travel.
Britta O’Boyle
iPhone 20 to pack a major camera upgrade
iPhones are as much cameras as they are mobile phones these days, especially if you believe Apple’s marketing materials. Unsurprisingly, then, the iPhone 20 will herald a major camera upgrade.
Reports from Korea suggest that the Pro model, at least, will come with a Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor (LOFIC) camera sensor, which will be able to pull in more light for superior dynamic range.
So far we’ve seen Huawei implement a LOFIC sensor into its own Pura 80 Ultra phone, but the rest of the flagship competition should follow over the next couple of years – including Apple.
Apple iPhone 17
Author: Jon Mundy, Contributor, Tech Advisor
Jon is a freelance journalist who got his start covering mobile games at the dawn of the App Store. He has since covered everything from smart home tech and laptops to food and culture, but always seems to return to his fascination with smartphones.
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