Last year we heard rumors that Apple would remove the physical buttons from the iPhone 15 Pro and swap them for solid-state capacitive buttons. Instead, we only have one, the Action button. However, those rumors are not so easily quelled and there are now claims that we could see the end of buttons as we know them on the iPhone 16.
This comes from a supply chain report from Keynote USA News, which claims that Apple has placed orders with Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, suggesting that we will see capacitive buttons on the iPhone 16. But this is not just about Apple adding an Action button to non-Pro devices. iPhone 16s, or including the rumored Capture button.
This order is said to include a new system-in-package module to replace the traditional mechanical buttons on the iPhone 16. The report specifically mentions the power and volume buttons, noting that Apple needs two “system-level package modules” to Replace mechanical buttons with new capacitive buttons and Taptic Engine motors.
iPhone 16: The benefits of solid-state buttons
If the report is true, then it appears that the new buttons will have no moving components, and the buttons themselves will register your touch and respond with haptic feedback to let you know something has happened. This would make the buttons less susceptible to damage over time, as debris would be much less likely to slide behind the button housing.
The reason Apple didn’t add solid-state capacitive buttons to the iPhone 15 Pro was reportedly due to “manufacturing complexity” along with higher costs and software integration issues. So they were moved to this year and a possible release on this year’s iPhones.
The supply chain report suggests this may be the plan, although a lot could change between now and September. That assumes Apple has concrete plans to include solid-state buttons. After all, there is no guarantee that the order has been placed for this year’s iPhones.
The question is, if solid-state power and volume buttons are coming, which iPhone 16 models are in line to receive this update? The report implies that the non-Pro iPhone 16 could receive the new capacitive buttons. However, these are usually the type of updates we see debut on Pro models and then migrate to other iPhones a generation or two later.
It’s also worth noting that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus feature a new vertical camera arrangement, which would allow the two new iPhones to capture spatial videos for Vision Pro.
We’ll have to wait and see how this all plays out. In the meantime, you can stay up to date with the latest news and updates in our hubs for iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro.
Keynote USA News
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