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, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman , known for his Apple leaks and rumors. Right now, Gurman’s most important details concern the three-year plan for updating the iPhone lineup, but there are rumors worth exploring that cover almost the entire product lineup.
As with any coverage of leaks and rumors, this is not meant to be the definitive truth. Apple could implement all of these plans, some of them, or none of them. While some predictions here are more likely than others, we simply won’t know Apple’s plans until the company officially announces them in the coming years.
iPhone
If you’re tired of Apple’s tried-and-true iPhone design, Gurman has good news. The reporter claims that Apple plans to introduce a new iPhone design every year for the next three years. Here’s what to expect:
2025: iPhone Air
The iPhone Air is coming next month, replacing the iPhone 16 Plus in the lineup. Apple’s first major design overhaul is expected to make the iPhone thinner and lighter than ever. Compare the MacBook Air to the Pro: Those who prefer a thin and light design may find the new iPhone preferable to the existing one, which will likely remain unchanged for the entire iPhone 17 series. Gourmand warns that the reduction in weight and inches comes at a cost: shorter battery life, a single rear camera, and no support for physical SIM cards (though with the iPhone 14, Apple is only using eSIM in the US ).
If you’re sticking with one of the traditional iPhones, including the 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max, don’t expect much to change. Gurman notes that these iPhones will be available in orange and the Air in light blue, but it looks like the changes will be minor this year. The report doesn’t elaborate, but I’m guessing it’s the same old story: updated processors and cameras, but the same old look. The price may go up, though, due to tariffs.
2026: Foldable iPhone
More movement is expected in a year. Rumor has it that Apple will release the first foldable iPhone. According to Gurman, Apple is going with a foldable tablet design over a clamshell. Personally, I can’t decide which I like better: the portable iPhone/iPad hybrid is intriguing enough, but I still can’t shake the idea of an iPhone/Razr hybrid. Maybe that’s the millennial in me talking.
Gurman says the new foldable tablet will feature four cameras (one on the front, one inside the case when opened, and two on the back) and, surprisingly, will feature Touch ID instead of Face ID. Apple does offer Touch ID on some iPad models, so it’s possible the company is taking the same approach with its first smartphone and tablet combo. The foldable tablet may only be available in white and black, and may come with the company’s proprietary C2 modem, which Gurman says competes with Qualcomm’s. The iPhone 18 Pro lineup may also feature this modem.
Apple may also plan to release the iPhone 17e in 2026, which would replace the iPhone 16e after the iPhone 17 launches in the fall.
2027: “iPhone 20”
It may seem a little strange, but in just two years the iPhone will be 20 years old. The iPhone and the smartphones that came after it changed the world for both better and worse. To celebrate, Apple may yet again refresh the iPhone’s design.
We don’t have any details yet, but Gurman says the iPhone 20 will feature “curved glass edges” all the way around the device, as opposed to the rectangular design Apple has used for the past five years. Gurman suggests that this will pair well with the new “Liquid Glass” design for iOS, which makes sense. Hopefully, more rumors about this iPhone will surface soon, although 2027 is still a long way off.
In any case, this isn’t the first time Apple has saved a major design change for a major anniversary. The iPhone X came out in 2017, marking the 10th anniversary of the iPhone. It was also a radical design change, removing the iconic Home button and, with it, the top and bottom bezels that had become the hallmark of the iPhone in that first decade.
Other Apple Products
Apple, of course, makes more than just the iPhone. Gourmand has been rumouring other Apple devices coming soon, though details on them are not as clear as those on the iPhone counterparts.
Unsurprisingly, Apple is likely to release a new Apple Watch this fall. The company could also release new iPad Pros with a new M5 chip that no MacBook has yet found, as well as cameras in both portrait and landscape orientations . For fans of mixed reality, Apple could release faster Vision Pros, though the current models have not yet found favor. The company could also release new AirPods Pros, possibly with heart rate monitoring, as well as updates to the HomePod mini and Apple TV (not to be confused with Apple TV+ , of course).
Gurman predicts that 2026 will see Apple introduce updated base models of the iPhone, iPad Air, and Mac M5, including the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. There may be new accessories, including a brand-new external display. Speaking of displays, this could be the year Apple introduces a HomePod with a screen that will directly compete with similar smart home products from Amazon and Google.
Looking further ahead, Gurman believes Apple will eventually release smart glasses to compete with the Meta , a true smart home robot, a more affordable Vision Pro, AirPods with built-in cameras , a foldable iPad/Mac hybrid, and a home security camera. I’d take these rumors with a grain of salt, since those timelines are still a long way off, and even if they’re true, Apple could change its development plans at any time.
Apple Health+
Gurman isn’t just talking about hardware. In addition to discussing previously announced projects like AppleCare One and the Apple TV+ price hike , he also mentioned an upcoming subscription service that will complement Apple’s current offerings: Apple Health+. It will reportedly be an “AI-powered health coach” that will include nutrition and health tips.
I’m a little skeptical about anything involving AI and health, but we’ll see how Apple handles it. The company typically brags about its approach to health, especially when it comes to the Apple Watch, and about user privacy — two things AI doesn’t have a great reputation for right now. But like any unreleased (and unannounced) product, we’ll have to wait and see what Health+ is like.