iPhone roadmap is ‘most ambitious in the product’s history,’ per John Ternus

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Innovation on the iPhone looks different than it used to. The product line is coming up on two decades of change, so understandably updates these days are more evolutionary than revolutionary. However, we could be on the cusp of a major wave of iPhone innovation, according to a leaked memo from Apple’s hardware chief John Ternus.

New phase of iPhone innovation is coming

This weekend in his Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman shared about several noteworthy promotions inside Apple’s hardware team.

The team, headed by John Ternus, is promoting three current employees to the vice president level. One of them, Richard Dinh, is becoming VP of product design for the iPhone.

Gurman writes:

In a memo to Apple’s engineering group, Ternus said that Dinh is in charge of the future iPhone road map and called the company’s upcoming models the “most ambitious in the product’s history.” He said that Dinh “continues to help drive an exciting future for this iconic product line.”

This ‘most ambitious’ quote is a pretty big claim for a product with such a long history.

Apple execs can at times be hyperbolic with public-facing quotes. Even still, a quote like this would still be well worth noting.

But Ternus’s words being part of an internal memo lends them even more weight.

Clearly, Apple truly does see its future iPhone models as its most ambitious versions yet.

Apple is always working several years ahead on its products, but Ternus’s words do find resonance with some of the reports we’ve seen about future iPhones.

Roadmap includes iPhone 17 Air and foldable iPhone

Next year’s iPhone 17 Air, for example, is expected to be ultrathin and introduce a radically new design with just a single rear camera. It could be the next iPhone X-like moment for the iPhone.

Then in 2026 and beyond, we’re expecting the first foldable iPhone. It will feature a top-down folding design and carry dimensions similar to existing iPhones when unfolded.

Timelines for these products could always change, but if expectations hold true, we’re looking at two major changes for the iPhone just in the next two years. And Ternus knows what’s coming beyond those models too.

Add these future products to this year’s Apple Intelligence upgrades, and it’s shaping up to be an especially exciting time for the iPhone.

What do you make of Ternus’s quote? What do you hope to see from iPhone innovation moving forward? Let us know in the comments.