Report: Analyst Shatters Expectations of an All-Glass iPhone

Reportedly, not enough defect-free units were produced.

A recent report from Barron’s suggests that analysts are no longer expecting an all-glass iPhone. According to the financial news outlet, Jefferies analyst Edison Lee believes the development of such a device has been halted. Lee points to "poor production yield" as the reason for the cancellation, meaning there simply weren't enough defect-free units being produced during manufacturing.

The report does not provide further details on why production yield was poor, leaving those behind the decision to cancel the project to speculate. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter.

The all-glass iPhone was originally rumored to launch in the fall of 2027 to celebrate the iPhone's 20th anniversary. Estimates suggested the device could have cost as much as $2,060. Initially, the idea of an all-glass iPhone emerged after Apple filed for a patent in 2019 for an electronic device with a "six-sided glass enclosure." The patent-drawn device closely resembled an iPhone, featuring app icons on one side and a call-accepting mechanism on the other. It also boasted curved glass panels with no cutouts.

Lee, the Jefferies analyst, told Barron’s that the plan was to extend the all-glass features to future iPhone Pro and Pro Max models. Such a move, according to Lee, would have raised the average selling price and margins for these premium iPhone variants.

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