Apple Planning Extensive iPhone Redesigns Over Next Three Years, Tipster Claims

Apple's iPhone 17 series of smartphones is expected to arrive later this year, and the company is expected to redesign the rear camera module on its upcoming handsets. These design changes have also been spotted in purported dummy models that have previously surfaced online. Now, a tipster claims that the successors to the iPhone 17 lineup will also arrive with various changes to their designs. Previous reports have suggested that Apple is working on a full-screen iPhone with an under-display camera, and a tipster has leaked Apple's timeline for such a device.

Apple's iPhone Redesign Plans for Upcoming iPhone Models (Expected)

The upcoming iPhone 17 models will arrive with a notable change to the rear camera module, according to a post by Digital Chat Station (translated from Chinese) on Weibo that cites sources in Apple's supply chain. The triple rear camera module is said to be housed in a wide horizontal camera section — previous reports that also predict that the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models will arrive with a redesigned rear panel.

While the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to arrive in the second half of 2025, Apple is also working on major changes to the front of future iPhone models, according to the tipster. The first notable change is expected to arrive in 2026, on the purported iPhone 18 models. These handsets will be equipped with a hole punch display cutout for the selfie camera, while the other sensors required for Face ID are said to be placed under the display.

Moving the Face ID sensors under the display in 2026 is expected to be part of Apple's plans to launch an all-screen iPhone, according to Digital Chat Station. The company plans to launch an iPhone without a display notch in 2027, by equipped the handset with an under display selfie camera and Face ID sensors.

If these claims are accurate, the iPhone 19 models could be the first all-screen smartphones from the company. It's worth noting that companies like Nubia have already launched handsets with under-display selfie cameras, but there's a considerable performance gap between regular selfie cameras and their under-display counterparts.

It's worth taking these claims that Apple will introduce notable design changes for upcoming iPhone models over the next three years with a grain of salt. The company is known to introduce gradual design changes, and it's currently unclear whether under-display camera technologies will be capable enough to replace the company's existing selfie camera within the next couple of years.