[News] Apple Reportedly Plans Glass-Heavy 2027 iPhone Pro amid Design Scrap Rumors; Samsung Adds 1M Fold 8 Units

Apple’s upcoming iPhone roadmap is facing growing pressure from both rising costs and production challenges. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max may see price hikes, while according to Wccftech, industry analysts suggest poor production yields may have forced Apple to scrap the all-glass design planned for its 20th-anniversary iPhone 20 model. Citing analysts, Seeking Alpha notes that with an estimated ASP of $2,060, its cancellation could weigh on Apple’s efforts to raise iPhone ASPs and margins over the medium term.

However, Bloomberg suggests Apple’s broader glass-centric redesign remains on track. Sources say the company continues to plan a major iPhone overhaul for its 20th anniversary, with 2027 iPhone Pro models expected to feature a new glass-heavy look. The devices, internally known as V73 and V74, will reportedly use glass on the front and back that curves into the sides, with a metal band in the middle. Bloomberg adds that Apple had explored a more ambitious version using even more glass in place of metal, but scrapped the concept earlier after encountering difficulties joining the glass panels together.

Kbench points to manufacturing challenges surrounding the advanced display. Sources say mass production encountered issues including optical distortion and brightness degradation around the curved edges of the special quad-curved panel developed by Samsung Electronics, while high defect rates reportedly made it difficult to achieve stable production yields.

Beyond these design and manufacturing challenges, rising component costs, particularly memory, are also putting pressure on Apple’s margins. According to TrendForce, memory’s share of the BOM cost for 256 GB iPhone Pro models has surged from around 10% a year ago to approximately 34% in 3Q26 and is expected to exceed 40% in 1H27, marking a major shift from when the application processor (AP) and display were the dominant cost drivers.

Samsung Ramps Up ‘Wide Fold’ Push on Strong Demand

While Apple faces mounting cost and design challenges, competition in the premium smartphone market is also intensifying, particularly in foldables. According to ETNews, sources say Samsung Electronics has decided to increase Fold 8 production by 1 million units this year and has already placed additional component orders with suppliers. The move follows strong pre-order demand for the “Wide Fold” and is seen as an effort to build on its early momentum and strengthen Samsung’s position ahead of Apple’s upcoming 4:3 foldable iPhone.

As the report highlights, Galaxy Z8 series pre-orders reached a record 1.44 million units from July 28 to August 4, the highest ever for a Samsung smartphone, with the Fold 8 accounting for 70% of the total. In response, Samsung plans to add 1 million units, bringing total Fold 8 production to the high-3-million range.

Meanwhile, according to Sisajournal, Apple faces growing pressure as it prepares to launch its first foldable smartphone in the second half of the year. A key technical focus is minimizing display creases, with Apple reportedly adopting a “Dual UTG” structure that uses ultra-thin glass (UTG) for the top cover window and an additional UTG layer beneath the panel.

Read more

• iPhone 18 Pro BOM Cost Expected to Surge Nearly 40%, Leaving Apple to Sacrifice Margins to Sustain Shipments, Says TrendForce
• [News] Samsung Reportedly Gives Wide Fold the Largest Annual Production Share at 2.8M as Apple May Drive 4:3 Shift

(Photo credit: Apple)