Every autumn, the same ritual repeats itself: a year before a new "special" iPhone launches, an insider appears with renderings that supposedly show the future. This time it's Jon Prosser, and the future is the iPhone 20 with a horizontal camera block in the style of Google Pixel and rounded edges like the iPhone 6.
What's real here and what's a combination of rumors
Technically, some of the details sound plausible. Silicon-carbon batteries aren't science fiction but a technology already being tested by Chinese smartphone manufacturers to increase capacity without enlarging the battery. TSMC's 2-nm A21 Pro chip is also a logical step, as the Taiwanese company plans to launch mass production at this process node precisely when the iPhone 20 is being prepared.
But the design is always the riskiest part of any leak. Renderings are based on rumors about Apple's plans 12-18 months before release, and plans change dozens of times. It's enough to recall that "rumors" about the iPhone 16 promised a completely different button design than what appeared in the final version.
The practical angle: what this means for those planning to buy
If you're considering an iPhone 17 or waiting for an iPhone 17 Pro Max — information about the iPhone 20 shouldn't influence your decision. The time difference is three full model cycles, and during that time: prices will change, a new chip lineup will emerge, and half of the "insider" details either won't materialize or will be rethought by Apple itself.
Historically, the company rarely and unexpectedly makes "anniversary" redesigns — the iPhone X in 2017 genuinely changed the form factor by removing the Home button. But between X and the next significant external update, nearly 7 years of routine, barely noticeable changes passed.
The main risk for consumers isn't missing the iPhone 20, but waiting too long for it, putting off buying a working phone "until a better version" that isn't even in development yet.
What's worth checking instead of design
- Real technical specifications of the current generation — camera, battery life, chip — not concept art of the future.
- Official Apple presentation dates, which the company confirms itself (the next one is September 9 for the new generation iPhone).
- Price and trade-in programs now, not the hypothetical cost of a smartphone that will launch in several years.
If silicon-carbon batteries and 2-nm chips truly make it to the iPhone 20, it will be a noticeable technological leap. The question is only how many of today's renderings will survive three more years of Apple's corporate decisions — and whether anyone will remember these "insider" pictures when the phone finally launches.
