Alleged Leaked Image of iPhone 7 Shows Touch-Sensitive Home Button

[MacRumors]

Photos have emerged online purporting to show the front of an iPhone 7 with a touch-sensitive home button flush with the front of the handset.

Ever since the launch of the original iPhone, Apple's handsets have featured a physical button that users press to return to the home screen, and press and hold for other functions.

But photos passed to mobile tech site mobipicker.com appear to suggest that may no longer be the case for future iPhones.

The white handset in the image above appears to be missing the silver metal ring around the button that has been included in similarly colored iPhone handsets since the iPhone 5s and the introduction of Touch ID fingerprint recognition.

According to the website's source, the button is level with the rest of the bezel and does not depress like a traditional clickable button. Instead, the button is said to be touch-sensitive, requiring users to perform taps, or tap-hold actions for functions like invoking Siri.

The handset in the photo also appears to have slightly narrower bezels and a repositioned front-facing camera and proximity sensor compared to the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.

As is often the case, the latest alleged leak cannot be verified. However, some reports have suggested that Apple has been testing a touch-sensitive home button for its upcoming flagship handset.

In March, Apple was also granted a patent for a pressure-sensitive Liquidmetal home button that deforms slightly when pressed, but returns to its normal shape when the user removes their finger or thumb. Apple has annually renewed its exclusive rights to use the malleable alloy since 2010, but has yet to do so in a major way.

Other features rumored to be exclusive to the iPhone 7 and/or iPhone 7 Plus models include a Smart Connector, dual-lens cameras, no 3.5mm headphone jack, repositioned antenna bands, stereo speakers, wireless charging, and a larger battery, but Apple may hold off on some features until its next iPhone with OLED in 2017.

Article Link: Alleged Leaked Image of iPhone 7 Shows Touch-Sensitive Home Button

 

[farewelwilliams]

as long as there's some sort of tactile feel, cool.

if it feels like a dumb Nexus 5 where the home button is on the screen, then screw that.

side note: I don't think Liquidmetal/Apple renewed the contracts for this year yet. should be soon maybe.

 

[Polaroid]

Only nice if it has tactile feedback.

 

[alleggerita]

very blurry, very lousy photo quality. this is most definitely legit.

 

[Zwhaler]

Kind of fugly. Top looks like an iPhone knockoff. I wouldn't be surprised if this is legit. And the "slightly narrower bezels" are disappointing. If they don't at least make the screens better I'll be scratching my head.

 

[Polaroid]

Also I would prefer there to be an edge so you can feel the home button...

 

[lars666]

I don't think the "touch sensitive" middle step for the home button is necessary / a real step forward. The home button needs to go for good, freeing the bezel space for more screen size at the same form factor or same screen size at a smaller one. Hopefully this will be possible soon. (Integrating Touch ID into the display and/or use 3D Touch for navigating back to the home screen.)

 

[hagar]

But is it thinner??

I want a complete redesign. 6 and 6s are so ugly.

 

[wilh]

The "proximity sensor above speaker" design present on almost every iPhone to date is a design hallmark that I would consider comparable to that of the iPod's click wheel. This just looks wrong.

 

[Royksöpp]

Mr BluryCam, we meet again.

 

[Ryantjan]

Top looks like android phone, iphone like lose identity if top like that

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

The circle thickness in those two different images are completely different. Are they supposed to be of the same handset?

 

[paul_ryp]

Nah...that home button needs to be raised or have some form of tactility just to locate orientation. This is a design fundimental and hopefully apple understands this. If not I'm going to wrestle that design award off Johnny.

 

[Taipan]

But what's the advantage?

 

[MR-LIZARD]

This would tie in with iOS 10's loss of the slide to unlock. It would make the unlock process more elegant and simple as I believe (from reading postings) you currently need to click the home button with iOS 10 even with TouchID. Though this might be a beta thing or misreported by users?

 

[cloudness]

But what's the advantage?

One step forward towards fully waterproofing the iPhone (along with wireless audio and smart connector)

 

[MH01]

I prefer the current implementing , the button needs to be lower or raised so you can easily find it without looking. Looks gimmicky to me, still not enough to entice me to upgrade.
[doublepost=1465988298][/doublepost]

One step forward towards fully waterproofing the iPhone (along with wireless audio and smart connector)

Having a physical button does not prevent waterproofing . I they just need something new to carry over the 6 design a third year

 

[Munky]

Why is the ring so much thicker in the first photo vs. The second, close up, photo?

While I think a non moving button is definitely in the realm of possibilities for this update, I believe this is a fake.

 

[cagri123]

Photos have emerged online purporting to show the front of an iPhone 7 with a touch-sensitive home button flush with the front of the handset.

Ever since the launch of the original iPhone, Apple's handsets have featured a physical button that users press to return to the home screen, and press and hold for other functions.

But photos passed to mobile tech site mobipicker.com appear to suggest that may no longer be the case for future iPhones.

The white handset in the image above appears to be missing the silver metal ring around the button that has been included in similarly colored iPhone handsets since the iPhone 5s and the introduction of Touch ID fingerprint recognition.

According to the website's source, the button is level with the rest of the bezel and does not depress like a traditional clickable button. Instead, the button is said to be touch-sensitive, requiring users to perform taps, or tap-hold actions for functions like invoking Siri.

The handset in the photo also appears to have slightly narrower bezels and a repositioned front-facing camera and proximity sensor compared to the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.

As is often the case, the latest alleged leak cannot be verified. However, some reports have suggested that Apple has been testing a touch-sensitive home button for its upcoming flagship handset.

In March, Apple was also granted a patent for a pressure-sensitive Liquidmetal home button that deforms slightly when pressed, but returns to its normal shape when the user removes their finger or thumb. Apple has annually renewed its exclusive rights to use the malleable alloy since 2010, but has yet to do so in a major way.

Other features rumored to be exclusive to the iPhone 7 and/or iPhone 7 Plus models include a Smart Connector, dual-lens cameras, no 3.5mm headphone jack, repositioned antenna bands, stereo speakers, wireless charging, and a larger battery, but Apple may hold off on some features until its next iPhone with OLED in 2017.

Article Link: Alleged Leaked Image of iPhone 7 Shows Touch-Sensitive Home Button

 

[Munky]

But what's the advantage?

To get the general public used to using a "button" that doesn't move....therefore when it's all screen in the future they can place the "button" wherever they like.

 

[cagri123]

I think 6 / 6s button is touch sensitive anyhow. For example, when I double-tap (not press) the button it activates the accessibility feature that shifts the screen down. Likewise, tapping home button on lock screen unlocks the phone without actually pressing the button.

 

[cloudness]

Having a physical button does not prevent waterproofing . I they just need something new to carry over the 6 design a third year

I think no physical button fits perfectly Apple's way of thinking waterproofing, more so than, for example, a layer of rubber than would risk thickening *gasp* the iPhone.

 

[Domen151]

This looks fake to me... The upper bezel seems so weird.

 

[2457248]

but we only wanted to know if it still has the 3.5mm jack.
you had one job!

somehow the top looks ugly, why won't they simply make one wide black horizontal aperture and hide cam and proximity sensor in it along with the speaker?

also, is it me or the 2 pictures somehow don't match with each other?
probably it's only due to angle, blur, crop.

 

[Kajje]

I've been clicking / hard clicking on my MBr's Force Touch touchpad at least for every hour since I've bought it. Still can't feel the difference compared with a 'real', physical switch touchpad.

So the technology for a Force Touch home button is there. While its benefits might look minimal at first, it might save some valuable space inside or help the quest for having a more water-friendly phone.

After all those firmware upgrades pretending to have better water proofing (sic), a hardware solution might give better mileage.