Apple is preparing to launch two “special’ iPhone models in 2027 to mark the 20th anniversary of the device that redefined the smartphone industry. However, sources close to Apple say the phones are “too complex” to be manufactured outside of China. The iPhone manufacturer has been moving operations to India to escape tariffs. 

According to an April 27 insight from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the new phones could feature Apple’s first foldable iPhone and a redesigned Pro model. The products are reportedly very intricate in design and will force Apple to keep production in its Chinese supply chain.

Although Apple has spent the past several years expanding its manufacturing footprint in India in response to President Donald Trump’s tariffs on China, the company is still reliant on Chinese expertise for new products. 

Gurman reported that the 20th-anniversary iPhones will require entirely new components and advanced manufacturing processes that China’s factories are “uniquely prepared to handle.”

“Every time Apple has introduced a major new product design, it’s always been built in China for the first run,” Gurman noted. “At some point, yes, but certainly not by the year 2027. The idea that Apple would want to build those devices outside of its China comfort zone is slim, at least at the outset.”

Apple rush India move, but it’s too soon for newer models 

Cryptopolitan reported in mid-April that Apple has sped up its manufacturing base move to India because of the tariff-for-tariff exchange between Washington and Beijing. When US President Trump slapped a 145% tariff on goods imported from China, Apple knew it would have to shift operations from the East to South Asia hurriedly. 

Currently, Apple’s facilities in India can meet about one-third of the demand for iPhones in the US, but the company has upped the expansion. In an April 25 news update, anonymous sources closer to the company said Apple plans to assemble all iPhones bound for the American market in India by the end of 2026.

Still, per Gurman, a complete transition to India is unlikely to happen overnight. “There is no telling how the tariff policies will change tomorrow, let alone 18 months from now,” he explained. 

One of the two anniversary models is a foldable iPhone featuring a book-like hinge mechanism. The phone is designed to function like a traditional iPhone when closed, but opens up to a much larger display, similar in size to an iPad Mini. Current iPhones max out at a 6.9-inch display with the iPhone 16 Pro Max, while the iPad Mini sports an 8.3-inch screen. 

The second model is expected to be an upgrade to the current iPhone Pro version with more glass in its design. Gurman mentioned a prototype with an all-screen look, no camera notches, no Dynamic Island, and no visible cutouts. The camera would be placed beneath the display to make the phone’s appearance look more like a slab of glass.

Display setback for iPhone 17 Pro

In other news, latest reports suggest that Apple has canceled a more durable, scratch-resistant display slated for the iPhone 17 Pro series. The display, which was leaked in 2023 by the Weibo user “Instant Digital” and later confirmed by MacRumors, was expected to top the current Ceramic Shield in durability and anti-glare performance. 

Manufacturing the display coating proved more time-consuming than expected. Although Apple was aware of the complications, the full extent of the delay made mass production impractical. 

As a result, the iPhone 17 Pro is now likely to retain the standard oleophobic coating used in previous models. This solution helps resist fingerprint smudges but could falter in bright lighting compared to competitors like Samsung’s Gorilla Armor 2 glass featured in the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

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