Gurman: Apple advancing three-year plan to “redefine” iPhone from the inside out

Overview

It has been reported that Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says Apple is推进ing a three-year roadmap to “redefine” the iPhone from the inside out. Reportedly this program — treated as a priority by senior executives including John Ternus, who has been discussed as a potential CEO successor — is structured as a three-step push: redesign today's lineup, introduce new form factors, then pursue an ultimate, holeless full‑screen device.

Roadmap and recent moves

According to the report, the plan began in 2025 with the launch of redesigned devices such as the iPhone 17 Pro series and a new iPhone Air, changes that Apple has already shipped. The big middle act is expected in 2026: Apple’s first foldable iPhone, reportedly with a book‑style design similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Fold, and software tweaks in iOS 27 to add split‑screen and iPad‑style multitasking for the larger display.

What the hardware rumors say

Details circulating about the foldable model are specific: a roughly 7.7‑inch interior display, about 5.3‑inch exterior screen, a slight but visible crease, dual rear cameras, a single front camera and Touch ID integrated into the power key. The 2027 target is even more ambitious — a milestone device with a curved, no‑hole full‑screen and an under‑display camera — but it has been reported that delivery of such a highly aggressive design remains uncertain.

Context and risks

Why does this matter beyond Apple fans? China’s factories and suppliers remain central to Apple’s manufacturing and component ecosystem, so any hardware pivot relies on capacity and yield improvements across that supply chain. Geopolitical headwinds — U.S. export controls on advanced chips, shifting trade policy and heightened scrutiny of tech supply chains — could complicate timing or features. Reportedly Apple’s executives are pushing hard anyway, betting that a staged rethink of form and function will keep the iPhone competitive as rivals in hardware and on‑device software race to innovate.