The iPhone 18 Pro could become the final model in the current iPhone design line that began with the iPhone X, according to an observation. That is because Apple is expected to be preparing a major design change in 2027 to mark the iPhone’s 20th anniversary.

On Sept. 28, IT outlet NineToFiveMac said that if reports about the next-generation iPhone design become reality, the iPhone 18 Pro could be the last product in about a decade of gradual form-factor changes.

Apple is known to be pursuing a plan to apply a new look to its pro models in 2027, with glass on the front and back curving into the sides. Bloomberg reported last month that Apple is preparing a design combining front and back glass with curved sides for next-generation pro models internally codenamed V73 and V74. It was seen as an attempt to realise an iPhone close to a long-discussed “single pane of glass.” The final design and product name have not been confirmed.

The outlet said exterior changes from the iPhone 12 Pro through recent models were relatively gradual. It said that while the notch changed to the Dynamic Island in 2022 and the camera area expanded significantly in the iPhone 17 Pro, as the premium smartphone market matured it has become increasingly difficult to feel differences between generations.

The iPhone 18 Pro released this year also placed more emphasis on camera and performance improvements than on design. Its 48-megapixel main camera applied a variable aperture for the first time on an iPhone, allowing users to select f/1.48, f/1.8, f/2.8 or f/4.0 automatically or manually. It also added pro controls for directly adjusting shutter speed and white balance, smart focus tracking, and a function that applies cinematic effects to standard video after filming is finished.

Whether the iPhone 18 Pro becomes the last model with the current design will depend on what form Apple’s 20th anniversary iPhone actually takes in 2027.