Apple’s 2027 iPhone Could Be a Game-Changer: Full-Screen Display, Mobile HBM, and a Silicon Battery Revolution

A new report from South Korea’s ETNews has revealed exciting details about what Apple may be planning for the iPhone’s 20th anniversary in 2027. The highlights? A true full-screen design, under-display tech, a powerful new memory standard to support AI, next-gen display drivers, and a breakthrough in battery performance.

Let’s break down what could be coming to the iPhone like we’ve never seen it before.

Next-Level AI Performance With Mobile HBM

To push on-device AI to the next level, Apple is reportedly exploring mobile HBM (High Bandwidth Memory)—also known as LLW DRAM (Low Latency Wide I/O). This new memory tech stacks low-power DRAM to deliver much faster bandwidth, which would pair perfectly with an upgraded GPU to accelerate AI-driven features and multitasking on the device.

Apple is said to be in early talks with major suppliers like Samsung and SK Hynix, both of which plan to begin mass production of mobile HBM after 2026. If this makes its way into the 2027 iPhone, we could see massive improvements in real-time processing, privacy-preserving AI, and battery-efficient smart features.

A Seamless Full-Screen Display

One of the most anticipated features is the true full-screen experience. Apple is reportedly working on a four-sided curved OLED display, wrapping the screen around all edges of the device with no visible bezels or cutouts.

To make this a reality, Apple is developing under-display camera (UDC) technology that hides the front-facing camera beneath the display. It’s a difficult challenge—mainly due to issues with light transmission—but Apple is considering advanced solutions like transparent polyimide materials and custom lenses to ensure photo quality isn’t compromised.

Under-display Face ID is also in the works, which would allow Apple to remove the notch entirely on future Pro models and give users a truly uninterrupted screen.

Smarter, More Efficient Displays

To support this futuristic design, Apple is planning a major upgrade to its display driver ICs (DDIs). These chips are expected to transition from the current 28nm planar process to a 16nm FinFET design, using 3D transistors for improved power efficiency and display performance.

The company is also expected to push color fidelity further. OLED panels might go beyond the current DCI-P3 and sRGB color gamuts to possibly reach Adobe RGB or BT.2020, making the display more vibrant and color-accurate for professional users.

Samsung Display is already preparing its M16 OLED material set for the iPhone 18, but Apple could have a new, even more advanced set reserved for the 2027 model.

A Breakthrough in Battery Tech

To fuel all these high-performance features, Apple is looking to upgrade the battery as well. The company is reportedly collaborating with multiple manufacturers on a 'pure silicon' anode battery—a big departure from today’s graphite-based lithium-ion batteries.

Pure silicon anodes can store up to 10x more energy than graphite, which means either dramatically longer battery life or slimmer devices with more room for powerful chips and sensors. This kind of battery would be crucial for supporting on-device AI, high-refresh-rate screens, and always-on background tasks.

A Historic Leap in iPhone Evolution

This all sounds a lot like what Apple did with the iPhone X in 2017—a complete redesign to mark the product’s 10th anniversary, with Face ID, OLED, and the removal of the home button. For the 20th anniversary in 2027, Apple could be preparing to raise the bar again.

If all these innovations come together—AI-enhanced memory, edge-wrapped OLED, invisible cameras, ultra-efficient power systems, and smarter batteries—we could be looking at the most ambitious iPhone redesign ever.

Apple has always taken a measured approach to adopting new tech, waiting for it to mature before integrating it. But for the iPhone’s 20th birthday, it seems the company is ready to go bold once again.