Apple may not be developing only a portless iPhone. Cupertino may also be working on a phone without buttons.

That's according to a new Apple patent application revealed by AppleInsider. According to the filing, the buttons interrupt the "continuity of the device's housing" and mechanical buttons can wear and tear over time. This problem may be fixed in future iPhones, but probably not in the iPhone 13.

An "invisible" button may be the answer, if this patent application is any indication. Instead of a mechanical on/off switch, this hypothetical iPhone would rely on capacitive sensing. The "button" would then become part of the device's main housing, and there would be no moving parts to cause failure.

Of course, "invisible" may not be the right word. The patent refers to the use of invisible backlit holes that can "selectively make the input visible or invisible to the user.

It is not clear how that would work, especially if there is a point where it might not be clearly visible where the buttons are.

Apple's patent application makes it clear that eliminating the buttons is almost an aesthetic choice, and the application goes on at length about how people expect their phones to look good.

However, the application makes several valid points, including the need for a small gap between the buttons and the phone now. That gap could allow dirt and moisture to enter the phone without the user noticing.

Wear and tear is also noted, but may not be as big a problem. I may be a special case, but I have never had a problem with buttons breaking on my smartphone. Lots of other things have broken, but never a broken button.

Apple is not wrong in saying - wear and tear happens, problems happen - but does it really happen enough to be a major concern?

Capacitive sensors may not wear out as quickly as physical buttons, but they are not immune to problems. Replacing or repairing the sensor would probably be more labor intensive than repairing the button mechanism.

The main problem I have with this idea is that traditional buttons have multiple advantages. Apple's patent application considers it a bad thing that buttons are easily visible. However, everyone knows where the buttons are and does not have to grope to try to do something.

Physical buttons are tactile and can be easily used without looking. Incredibly useful from an accessibility standpoint, this "invisible" button would require some physical affirmation, such as tactile feedback.

Since the patent application is only a patent application, there is no guarantee that the button will disappear from the iPhone anytime soon. It may be a suitable feature to deploy with the portless iPhone so we can get a truly uninterrupted phone design.

There are rumors that a portless iPhone will not appear this year. A buttonless iPhone is not likely to appear anytime soon either.