According to a Chinese tipster, Apple is testing an iPhone 19 Pro prototype with a four-curved screen design. The display of this model is said to be fully extended to all four edges of the fuselage, leaving only a hole for the front camera on the front, while Face ID is completely hidden under the screen.
The news comes from the Weibo account "Digital Chat Station", which states that this prototype is currently in the evaluation stage and corresponds to the iPhone 19 Pro model planned to be launched in 2027. It is worth noting that multiple previous reports have mentioned that Apple plans to launch an "iPhone 20th Anniversary Edition" with a four-curved, no-hole design next year, focusing on a true "full-screen" appearance. It is still unclear whether this commemorative model will be positioned as an ultra-high-end product higher than the existing Pro and Pro Max, or placed alongside the existing product line.
If Apple finally fully adopts four-curved panels on iPhone 19 Pro and iPhone 19 Pro Max, the product differences with the rumored anniversary models will be significantly compressed. Judging from the current news, one possible strategy is that Apple will only provide a complete screen without openings on the 20th anniversary model, while retaining the punch-hole design for the front camera on the iPhone 19 Pro series. This statement is basically consistent with the current exposure information, and also provides room for differentiation between products.
However, it is still a technical challenge for Apple to hide both the full Face ID system and the front-facing camera under the screen. In comparison, the image quality loss problem of the selfie camera in the under-screen solution is considered to be more difficult to solve. If the existing technology cannot achieve complete under-screen operation while ensuring imaging quality, Apple is not expected to rush into mass production of related solutions, which also leaves variables in the segmentation strategy of the 2027 iPhone series.
This Weibo whistleblower has accurately recorded Apple-related news many times, so his latest revelation has received certain attention. For example, he has accurately exposed the overall appearance design of iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro in advance, as well as the configuration of iPhone 17 Pro using three 48-megapixel rear cameras. Recently, he also claimed that Apple’s first foldable screen phone is expected to be released at the same time as the iPhone 18 Pro series, and is expected to be named “iPhone Ultra”.
At a time when under-screen cameras and quad-curved full-screen technology are still at a critical stage, how Apple draws a clear hierarchy and positioning between iPhone 19 Pro, iPhone 19 Pro Max and the 20th Anniversary Edition will become one of the key aspects of the evolution of the iPhone product line in the next few years.
What would you rather see is a fully integrated "true full screen" without any openings, or would you accept compromise designs such as punch-holes while ensuring better image quality and reliability?