It is rumored that the iPhone product line will undergo major changes in the next three years

It’s no secret that Apple’s iPhone release cycle has been on a “tick-tock-tock” rhythm of upgrades—improvements—since the iPhone 3G. In some cases, this "ticking" even lasts for a generation or two, such as the iPhone 16. Every generation before it was very similar and looked no different from the iPhone 12.

Apple is about to launch an ultra-thin iPhone Air, followed by the iPhone Fold in 2026 and a 20th anniversary upgrade in 2027—marking three consecutive years of significant iPhone design changes.

According to a report in Bloomberg’s Power On newsletter, Apple’s new iPhone designs over the next three years are likely to continue to attract attention. While each iPhone generation is broadly similar to what we've seen before, there's at least one model every year that's significantly different than the one before.

First up is the iPhone 17 Air. It will be the originator of the new camera strip design and will be the thinnest and lightest model, which largely reflects this design.

This thin and light design will sacrifice battery life and will likely be equipped with Apple's C1 modem. It will still fall into the category of a standard iPhone, so it's expected to have an A19 processor and a slower USB-C port.

Next up is the long-rumored iPhone Fold. It is expected to launch in 2026 at the same time as the iPhone 18 series. The iPhone Fold will likely look very similar to the Samsung Galaxy Fold when it finally arrives, and it will feature an outer display and a larger inner display.

While the device looks like a foldable iPad mini, it will retain many of the iPhone's design cues. Since users need to be able to authenticate in any orientation or mode, Touch ID will also return.

Finally, there's the 2027 iPhone 20, which is likely to be another anniversary edition similar to the iPhone X. Also note here that Apple may skip the iPhone 19 name entirely, although it's not yet certain whether that will be the iPhone 20 or iPhone XX.

By 2027, the more popular models are likely to be the more boring ones that retain older designs. Even so, Apple launching at least one new-looking model every year may be able to boost sales and avoid criticism of Apple's lack of innovation.

The devices will benefit from Apple's efforts to reinvigorate its operating system and its push to lay the groundwork for the Apple Intelligence iPhone. These upgrades are still in their early stages, but they will set the stage for Apple's growth over the next decade and its next billion units.