iPhone 15 Pro action button design revealed just before presentation

iPhone 15 Pro action button design revealed just before presentation

The iPhone 15 launch event is just hours away from kicking off, revealing all the latest upgrades and features for Apple's next iPhone lineup. One of the biggest features we are expecting is the Action Button, which will replace the mute switch on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

A rendered image of what appears to be the new action button was posted on Twitter by smartphone case manufacturer Spigen. Not much can be gleaned from this rendered image, but it appears that the new button will be placed in the exact same location as the mute switch, i.e., directly above the volume keys. It also looks very button-like, which is not a huge surprise.

The action buttons are expected to be solid state buttons, meaning they will have zero moving parts. The design of this rendering is remarkably similar to the volume button, which is expected to be the same mechanical button as previous iPhones.

The new kind of button is expected to be a new design, but if this rendering is accurate, it may not be. One reason I can think of is that Apple wants to ensure design symmetry between buttons, so a solid-state design would not be so visually obvious.

Being solid state, the buttons must feel completely different. Rumor has it that Apple is incorporating tactile feedback on the buttons so that users can recognize when a button is activated. So even if the buttons are functionally designed to blend in, the feel may be quite different.

The button itself is said to be programmable and can switch the iPhone 15 Pro to (and back to) silent mode, but we have heard about different actions that users might be able to choose from. The iOS 17 beta version, as possible actions, turns on the flashlight, opens the camera, enables focus mode, translates content, records voice memos, enables accessibility tools, or toggles any of iOS 17's new shortcuts, as Revealed.

The Action Button will likely be announced at the Apple September Event, which starts today at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. You can also check out the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max hubs for the latest news and rumors.

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