iPhoneExplainer

Trending

iPhone 20 release date: Apple hasn't announced it, but 2027 marks 20 years of iPhone

There's no iPhone 20 release date, because Apple hasn't announced an iPhone 20. The name gets searched because 2027 is the iPhone's 20th anniversary: Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone on Jan. 9, 2007, and it went on sale that June. Apple hasn't said what it will call its 2027 iPhones or whether it will mark the anniversary, as it did with iPhone X in 2017. As of Oct. 16, 2026, Apple's newest phones are the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, announced on Sept. 9, 2026, and the folding iPhone Duo, which goes on sale Oct. 23.

By Pogwire newsroom··2 min read
iPhone Duo in star white and night sky, folded and unfolded
Image: Apple

The iPhone turns 20 next year, and people want to know what Apple has planned. So far, Apple hasn’t said a word about an iPhone 20. Here’s what’s official.

Is there an iPhone 20?

Not officially. Apple hasn’t announced an iPhone 20, and it hasn’t said what it will call its 2027 iPhones. The interest comes from the calendar: Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone at Macworld on Jan. 9, 2007, and it went on sale in the US on June 29, 2007, at $499 for 4GB and $599 for 8GB. That makes 2027 the iPhone’s 20th anniversary.

If Apple keeps counting one number a year, as it has since iPhone 11 in 2019, 2027’s flagship would be iPhone 19. But Apple has broken its own pattern before.

What Apple did for the 10th anniversary

In 2017, Apple marked 10 years of iPhone by skipping a number. It announced iPhone 8 and iPhone X together on Sept. 12, 2017, and iPhone X brought the biggest redesign since the original: an all-screen OLED display, no Home button and Face ID for unlocking. It started at $999, opened for pre-orders on Oct. 27 and reached stores on Nov. 3, 2017, about six weeks after iPhone 8.

The front and back of a silver iPhone X
For the 10th anniversary, Apple skipped iPhone 9 and launched iPhone X in 2017.Image: Apple

Apple hasn’t said whether it plans anything similar for the 20th anniversary.

Where Apple’s lineup stands now

Apple’s 2026 lineup changed shape. On Sept. 9, 2026, it announced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, from $1,199 and $1,299, and its first folding phone, the iPhone Duo, from $1,999. The Duo goes on sale on Oct. 23, and new orders on Apple’s US store now ship in January. Our iPhone Duo page tracks those dates.

The A20 Pro chip inside iPhone 18 Pro
Apple’s newest phones, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, run on the A20 Pro chip.Image: Apple

Apple hasn’t announced a regular iPhone 18, so its cheaper current models are still the iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17e. Our pages on the iPhone 18 and the iPhone 18e cover what’s still missing.

When Apple usually launches new iPhones

Apple has a steady rhythm. It announced new iPhones on Sept. 9 in 2024, 2025 and 2026, with sales starting the following week or the one after. If 2027 follows the same pattern, the next big iPhone announcement would come in September 2027, though Apple hasn’t announced a date.

Rumors and what to watch

Claims about a 20th anniversary iPhone with a new all-glass design or a curved screen have circulated for months. Apple hasn’t confirmed any of them, and it doesn’t comment on unreleased products.

The next official iPhone news is closer: the iPhone Duo launch on Oct. 23, and, if Apple repeats recent years, its cheaper e model in late winter.

This page is updated as soon as Apple announces anything official about its 2027 iPhones.

Official images

2
  • A person on a beach holds an iPhone X
  • iPhone X on a wireless charging pad, showing 75% charged

Image: Apple

FAQ

When does the iPhone 20 come out?

Apple hasn’t announced an iPhone 20 or a release date. As of Oct. 16, 2026, it hasn’t said what its 2027 iPhones will be called.

Will the next iPhone be called iPhone 19 or iPhone 20?

Apple hasn’t said. Its numbering has gone up by one each year since iPhone 11, which would make 2027 the year of iPhone 19, but Apple skipped a number once before, going from iPhone 8 to iPhone X for the 10th anniversary in 2017.

Why do people expect an iPhone 20?

Because 2027 is the iPhone’s 20th anniversary. Apple introduced the first iPhone on Jan. 9, 2007, and it went on sale in the US on June 29, 2007.

What did Apple do for the iPhone's 10th anniversary?

It announced iPhone X on Sept. 12, 2017, with an all-screen OLED design and Face ID, skipping the name iPhone 9. iPhone X went on sale on Nov. 3, 2017, starting at $999.

When does Apple usually release new iPhones?

In September. Apple announced its new iPhones on Sept. 9 in 2024, 2025 and 2026, with sales starting about 10 days later. iPhone X in 2017 was the exception, arriving in November.

What are the newest iPhones right now?

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, from $1,199 and $1,299, and the folding iPhone Duo, from $1,999, which goes on sale on Oct. 23, 2026. Apple hasn’t announced a regular iPhone 18.

How much did the first iPhone cost?

$499 for the 4GB model and $599 for the 8GB model, according to Apple’s January 2007 announcement.

Should I wait for the iPhone 20?

Nothing about it is official, so there’s no price, date or feature list to wait for. Apple’s next big iPhone announcement, if it follows recent years, would come in September 2027.

Pop quiz

2 questions from this story.

  1. When did Apple introduce the first iPhone?

  2. Which number did Apple skip for the iPhone’s 10th anniversary?

Your call

What should Apple call its 2027 iPhone?

Keep reading

Free newsletter · first issue soon

The Daily Pog

New drops, esports results and the money moves of the day. Five minutes, zero filler.