Apple may skip iPhone 19: iPhone 20 tipped for a bezel-free, four-sided curved display with under-display Face ID by 2027, as LG and Samsung invest in OLED.
© A. Krivonosov
Apple is preparing one of the most sweeping iPhone design overhauls to date. Fresh reports suggest the anniversary iPhone 20, marking 20 years since the first iPhone in 2007, could feature a fully bezel-free display that curves along all four sides of the device.
According to a senior researcher at Omdia, Apple intends to skip the iPhone 19 name and jump straight to iPhone 20. The handset, expected in the third quarter of 2027, has previously appeared in leaks as a phone with no visible cutouts. Sources now specify a panel curved on all four sides, with the screen flowing smoothly into the frame. If that naming shift holds, it would underscore how consequential this redesign is meant to be.
Such a screen would be a clear break from anything Apple has used so far. To pull it off, the panel would need to bend near the border and the TFE protective layer that shields the OLED from moisture would have to be thinned. A truly borderless look also hinges on moving the front camera, the TrueDepth system, and other sensors under the display. It is an ambitious engineering task.
Reports indicate that since 2023 Apple has been asking Samsung and LG for full-screen OLED panels, but bringing this design to life requires a major overhaul of manufacturing. Rumors say the iPhone 18 family and an iPhone Fold are already being tested with under-display Face ID, which could serve as a stepping stone: at first, Apple might leave only a small opening for the front-facing camera. A phased approach would be the pragmatic path.
Against this backdrop, LG Display is said to be preparing to invest about 400 billion won (nearly $300 million) to upgrade its production lines to support four-sided curved displays. The South Korean company may need up to ten specialized lines for Apple orders. There is no information yet on Samsung's specific investment plans, but as the supplier that traditionally provides most of Apple’s OLED panels, significant spending there appears just as inevitable.