[Digital Today reporter Jinju Hong (홍진주)] Observers say Apple is testing its largest iPhone display yet.

On July 21, 9to5Mac reported that leaker Digital Chat Station, who is well-versed in supply chain information, claimed Apple is testing a new screen and that the panel could be used in a new iPhone to be released next year.

The key is screen size. The panel is said to be larger than the 6.9-inch display on the current iPhone 17 Pro Max. The increase is not expected to be large, but the market is watching whether it could be marketed as a 7-inch screen.

Digital Chat Station said it could not confirm the display's specific purpose. Still, the leaker said that if the panel ends up in an actual product, it could be used in a Pro Max-tier iPhone model next year. It is not yet clear how the product name would be finalized.

Factors surrounding next year's iPhone naming are also drawing renewed attention. With 2027 marking the 20th anniversary of the iPhone's launch, speculation has continued that Apple could use the milestone to release a symbolic model that differs from past devices. The outlet described Apple's long-term design direction as approaching the form of "a single sheet of glass." That has prompted scenarios that include a separate 20th anniversary model, and another in which a radical design change is reflected directly in the next Pro model.

Some say Apple could also change the product naming. The outlet also raised the possibility that Apple could call the generation after the iPhone 18 directly the iPhone 20. That would echo the iPhone X, reflecting a milestone in the name. For now, neither option is confirmed.

The market is watching whether the screen Apple is testing will reach mass production. Apple reviews various components and designs during development, but many do not make it into final products. The outlet also noted, "The company tests a lot of things, but most don't come to market." Even if a prototype exists within the supply chain, it does not necessarily mean it will be adopted in an iPhone.

Even so, the test of a larger screen is drawing attention as it ties into Apple's 20th anniversary iPhone strategy. 9to5Mac said that if Apple can use the phrase "the largest display ever," it could be plausible as part of its long-term vision. If the timing is aimed at both exterior innovation and symbolism, a slightly larger 7-inch-class display could still be a meaningful change.

In the end, the confirmed facts so far are limited to the possibility that Apple may be testing a panel larger than 6.9 inches, and that it is being mentioned as a candidate for next year's flagship iPhone. Details on whether it will be used, the model name and how it could be combined with a 20th anniversary strategy are expected to become clearer as Apple's product lineup emerges.