Despite recent speculations suggesting that Apple abandoned its plans for solid-state buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro models, it is still anticipated that the upcoming devices will include a customizable “Action” button in place of the traditional Ring/Silent switch.
iPhone 15 Pro: Action button replacing mute switch
According to 9to5Mac, Apple-certified accessory manufacturers are presently working with CADs that display the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max featuring two mechanical volume buttons and an additional mechanical button replacing the Ring/Silent switch. Similar to the “Action” button on the Apple Watch Ultra, users would be able to assign the new button to system functions such as Ring/Silent, Do Not Disturb, or Flashlight.
Mechanical buttons physically move when pressed, whereas solid-state buttons depend on Taptic Engines within the iPhone to simulate the sensation of movement. Apple analyst Jeff Pu believes that due to unspecified “design issues” encountered during iPhone 15 Pro development, solid-state buttons have been postponed until the iPhone 16 Pro next year.
A significant change in iPhone design
Apple has incorporated a Ring/Silent switch in every iPhone model since its original release in 2007, making its removal a notable change this year. However, the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models are still expected to retain the switch, as the “Action” button is rumored to be exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro models.
The new CADs also reveal that the rear camera bump on the iPhone 15 Pro models will not protrude as much as initially expected by the publication.
Apple is anticipated to announce the iPhone 15 lineup in September.
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