The prospect of an all-glass iPhone appears to have faded, according to a report citing Jefferies analyst Edison Lee, who believes development on the device has come to a halt.
Lee suggests the project was cancelled because of poor production yield, meaning too few defect-free units were being successfully made during manufacturing. An Apple representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
What the all-glass iPhone was expected to be
The device had been rumoured to launch in the autumn of 2027 to mark the iPhone’s 20th anniversary. It was reported that the handset could have carried a price tag of around £1,620, placing it firmly at the premium end of the market.
Speculation about an all-glass handset first emerged after Apple filed a patent in 2019 for an electronic device with a “six-sided glass enclosure”. The device described in the patent resembles an iPhone, with app icons on one side and a means of signalling to others that you are on a call on the other. It also featured curved glass panels and appeared to have no cutouts.
How Apple planned to use the technology
According to the analyst, Apple intended to bring the all-glass design to future iPhone Pro and Pro Max models. The stated aim was to raise their average selling price and margin, extending the premium features across the higher tiers of the range.
For now, the plan for a fully glass-bodied handset has reportedly been shelved, with production challenges cited as the reason behind the decision. The 2027 anniversary timeline, once linked to the device, no longer applies to the cancelled project.
