According to analyst Edison Lee, Apple has cancelled plans for an ambitious all-glass iPhone designed to commemorate the device's 20th anniversary after encountering manufacturing yield problems during production trials.

Apple appears to have shelved one of its most anticipated iPhone redesigns, with analyst Edison Lee reporting that the company has abandoned its proposed all-glass anniversary model due to manufacturing challenges. According to Lee's August 10 research report, production trials for the all-glass design failed to achieve acceptable yield rates, meaning too few devices met quality standards during testing to proceed with mass production.

The reported cancellation represents a significant setback for Apple's strategy to increase average selling prices and protect profit margins, Lee suggests. Rising memory costs across the smartphone industry have intensified pressure on manufacturers to develop premium devices commanding higher retail prices. While Apple has not directly attributed recent price increases to component costs, analysts expect these expenses to remain a critical factor in future iPhone development and pricing decisions.

Previous reports had described an ambitious redesign featuring a nearly bezel-free display with curved edges transitioning seamlessly to a glass and ceramic rear panel, potentially accompanied by major upgrades including a 200-megapixel camera and silicon-carbon battery technology. Uncertainty now surrounds how Apple will distinguish its 20th-anniversary iPhone, with the company potentially opting for a more conservative evolution of recent Pro model designs rather than a radical visual overhaul.

Apple has not confirmed the all-glass project, its cancellation, or specifications for future iPhones. Analyst Lee's report also suggests Apple may continue using the iPhone 19 name rather than jumping to iPhone 20 for the anniversary generation, with potential RAM upgrades and pricing increases expected across Pro and Pro Max variants. Despite this setback, analysts remain cautiously optimistic about Apple's longer-term prospects.