The anniversary iPhone that Apple is preparing for the lineup’s 20th anniversary may ditch the familiar mechanical buttons. According to Chinese insider Instant Digital, the company is once again testing touch-sensitive buttons with haptic feedback — the very same ones it has already abandoned twice over the past four years. The main goal is to turn the body into a solid piece of glass without protrusions or cutouts.
iPhone buttons will become invisible — Apple is testing technology it shelved for 4 years
How Touch-Sensitive Buttons Will Work in the iPhone
We’re talking about so-called solid-state buttons — these are touch-sensitive pads without moving parts that simulate a press through vibration. They’re nearly invisible on the outside, and they should feel like regular buttons to the touch. According to the Weibo insider, these buttons have already been tested for use with gloves, wet hands, extreme temperatures, and with a case on.
There’s also a non-trivial detail: according to the same source, the anniversary iPhone will feature an ultra-efficient microprocessor that will allow the touch-sensitive buttons to keep working even when the phone is turned off or the battery is dead. It sounds strange, but the logic is clear — without this, the user would physically be unable to turn on the device.
This isn’t the first time Instant Digital has mentioned touch-sensitive buttons for this iPhone: in October 2025, the insider already claimed that Apple’s solution would cover the side button, volume buttons, the Action button, and Camera Control.
Bezel-Free iPhone 20: What Will Change in the Body and Display
Touch-sensitive buttons are part of a larger plan. Apple is reportedly working on a display that curves around all four edges of the body, creating a bezel-free visual experience — and touch-sensitive buttons will help build a device that looks like a solid glass slab without cutouts or bezels.
There will be no visible bezels on the display at all
For users, this means two things. First, the screen will occupy the entire front surface and partially the sides, without the usual bezel. Second, the mechanical buttons that currently collect dust and develop play over time will disappear. The downside is also obvious: such a body will be harder to repair, and curved glass is more expensive to replace.
Key Differences Between iPhone 20 and Regular Apple Models
In the same post, the insider also listed other features long attributed to the 2027 device: a dual-layer OLED panel, under-display Face ID, and an under-display front camera. Also mentioned were a 6,000 mAh battery, an under-display speaker instead of the usual earpiece grille, reverse wireless charging, and a new generation of Ceramic Shield — though it’s unclear whether the latter points are based on supplier data or are simply a wish list.
A display curving onto the side — the key idea behind the anniversary iPhone
If you put all the rumors in one line, the differences from current iPhones look like this:
- the screen wraps around all four sides, no bezels
- mechanical buttons replaced with haptic touch-sensitive ones
- Face ID and front camera hidden under the display — no cutouts
- earpiece speaker built into the display
- significantly larger battery than current flagships
- reverse wireless charging — you can charge AirPods or a watch from the phone
Important caveat: some of this is confirmed by multiple sources, while some is still at the level of a single Weibo post. The leaker himself is cautious about the 6,000 mAh battery and next-generation Ceramic Shield.
Why Apple Already Canceled Touch-Sensitive Buttons for iPhone
This isn’t Apple’s first attempt. Back in 2022, several sources reported that the company was planning to bring touch-sensitive buttons to the iPhone 15 Pro in 2023 as part of “Project Bongo,” but the plan was scrapped at a late stage. Then this feature was attributed to the iPhone 16 Pro, after which it was postponed indefinitely.
So Apple has been testing and canceling the same idea for four years straight. The reasons were never publicly stated, but industry insiders pointed to reliability issues with the haptic motors. So even if the insider is right and testing is underway — it still doesn’t mean we’ll see such buttons in the final product.
That said, Instant Digital generally has a decent track record on Apple rumors: the insider accurately reported in advance, for example, the release of the yellow iPhone 14 in 2023 and the matte glass back on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. That’s no guarantee, but it’s reason not to dismiss the claims.
Release Date for the Anniversary iPhone 20
Apple may settle for a more modest screen curve
The anniversary iPhone is expected to launch in fall 2027. Before that, Apple will release at least the main iPhone 18 lineup. So any leaks today about design and buttons are not “coming soon” but rather a forecast one and a half to two years ahead, and plans can change multiple times during that period.
If you’re choosing an iPhone in 2026, this news has no impact on your decision — the device hasn’t even been announced yet, and the rumors concern a 2027 model. Holding off on buying a current iPhone in hopes of a bezel-free anniversary model is a bad idea: the touch-sensitive button saga shows that Apple can scrap any rumored feature literally before release.
The rumor is interesting for those who follow the direction in which Apple is taking iPhone design: solid glass, minimal physical elements, everything under the display. This looks like a long-term goal for the company, and touch-sensitive buttons are just one step toward it. But taking a specific list of specs from a Weibo post as a finalized specification is definitely not advisable.
