Apple Delaying Solid-State Buttons Until iPhone 16 Pro Due to 'Design Issues'

[MacRumors]

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo on Tuesday indicated that iPhone 15 Pro models will no longer have solid-state buttons due to "unresolved technical issues before mass production." He now expects the buttons to have a "traditional" design.

The change in plans was first reported by tech analysts Jeff Pu and Shelly Chou. In a research note with investment firm Haitong International Securities on Tuesday, the analysts said they believe the solid-state buttons will be pushed back to the iPhone 16 series in 2024 due to unspecified "design issues." As a result, they said the iPhone 15 Pro models will not be equipped with two additional Taptic Engines, as previously rumored.

With a solid-state design, the buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro would not have moved when pressed. Instead, two additional Taptic Engines inside the iPhone would have provided haptic feedback to simulate the feeling of movement, similar to the Home button introduced with the iPhone 7 and the Force Touch trackpad on newer MacBooks.

It was also rumored that iPhone 15 Pro models would be equipped with a unified volume button, and that the Ring/Silent switch would become a multipurpose Action button, but it is not entirely clear if those changes will still occur. Apple could proceed with these changes with clickable buttons, but the other possibility is that Apple sticks with two volume buttons and a Ring/Silent switch until the iPhone 16 Pro next year.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 15 Pro at a September event. Other features rumored for the device include a titanium frame, USB-C port, A17 Bionic chip, thinner bezels around the display, faster Wi-Fi 6E, increased RAM, and more.

Article Link: Apple Delaying Solid-State Buttons Until iPhone 16 Pro Due to 'Design Issues'

 

[sniffies]

Apple delaying iPhone 15 until iPhone 16 due to 'design issues'

Might as well.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

I don't think it was ever delayed. It is solely reserved for iPhone Ultra.

 

[StudioMacs]

The fact it’s rumored for the Pro would seem to indicate Apple has plans to use the buttons to add features that are currently not possible (instead of just cost cutting).

 

[vegetassj4]

Rumor has it that they are going back to a retro power switch as well.

 

[Anaxarxes]

Apple is having more design issues since design is reporting to operations.

 

[dantracht]

The buttons are fine as they are. Just leave well enough alone and focus on more important things.

 

[Cristim74]

Wasn't there a story about this today already on MR???

 

[mnsportsgeek]

Apple are not making major design decisions 5 months before shipping. If the solid state buttons are not there, they were never planned to be there when the rumors started circulating.

 

[MayaUser]

Same KUO...we will see in fall whos right

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

The fact it’s rumored for the Pro would seem to indicate Apple has plans to use the buttons to add features that are currently not possible (instead of just cost cutting).

Taptic engine powered pressure sensitive buttons would not have been cheaper, not sure why that narrative is catching on.
There was no cost-cutting going on here, they were literally adding expensive battery hogging components in place of what used to be nothing.
Not sure why anyone even thought for a second that this was a cost cutting measure.
The virtual home button wasn’t a cost cutting measure either, it was more expensive.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Does anyone remember the classic iPhone 2G mute and plastic solid-state buttons?

Prototype iPhones bearing engraved mute button surface in photos | AppleInsider

Photographs of unreleased prototypes for the iPhone 2G have been published on Twitter, indicating Apple was considering different positions for the mute switch, as well as engraving the button itself.

appleinsider.com

 

[carrrrrlos]

Because USB-C AND solid state buttons would be more than an incremental update.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

Does anyone remember the classic iPhone 2G mute and plastic solid-state buttons?

Prototype iPhones bearing engraved mute button surface in photos | AppleInsider

Photographs of unreleased prototypes for the iPhone 2G have been published on Twitter, indicating Apple was considering different positions for the mute switch, as well as engraving the button itself.

appleinsider.com

I think you may be mistaken - those are prototype devices. Also Apple wasn't sourcing Taptic components back then.

 

[CharlesShaw]

I haven’t been following this rumor. Is the rumored volume button supposed to be like swipe button, like on the AirPods Pro or something?

 

[rjjacobson]

I don't think it was ever delayed. It is solely reserved for iPhone Ultra.

Interesting theory if the Ultra exists but apple fooled folks with the Ultra I just read this morning and folks thought it was something else in watch line rather than the new Ultra. We shall see indeed @TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Apple is having more design issues since design is reporting to operations.

Design issues like first gen iPod nano’s exploding or iPhones not being able to get signal when gripped in a certain way or a white color taking nine months to release after promised or 08 and 2011 MBP GPUs dying or leaking G5 systems or software support being junked less than three years after certain devices released…
Oh wait, that’s right, that was all under Jobs.

 

[Chiromac81]

Who cares about this? Seriously...

 

[Kylo83]

they just dont have enough for next year so they want to delay it

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

I don't think it was ever delayed. It is solely reserved for iPhone Ultra

Interesting and do partly agree, though that doesn't explain why the Apple Watch Ultra's function button isn't solid state.

 

[I7guy]

Apple are not making major design decisions 5 months before shipping. If the solid state buttons are not there, they were never planned to be there when the rumors started circulating.

This. The leakers finally caught up to apple and presenting this as a current rumor.

 

[crsh1976]

I love these reports about rumours that infirmed or confirmed previous rumours - can we get a "everything we think we know about the latest rumours that have not yet been shut down by the entire internet"?

 

[kingtj1971]

The rumors are all designed to throw people off. In reality, they'll get rid of ALL the buttons and you'll use only Siri voice commands to control the whole phone!

 

[ss2cire]

Rumor has it that they are going back to a retro power switch as well.

View attachment 2187886

While it would work, I imagine it'd be too prone to accidental shut offs...

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A bit disappointing, if rumors before were true, custom actions for the solid state buttons would have been nice. Oh well. Something to look forward to in future iPhones (other than the camera improvements, which I personally feel mostly meh about, not really a camera aficionado).

I wonder what features will come with the 15 now 🤔

 

[rjjacobson]

While it would work, I imagine it'd be too prone to accidental shut offs...

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A bit disappointing, if rumors before were true, custom actions for the solid state buttons would have been nice. Oh well. Something to look forward to in future iPhones (other than the camera improvements, which I personally feel mostly meh about, not really a camera aficionado).

I wonder what features will come with the 15 now 🤔

For me they were not of interest and i like the mute switch (yeah one. Of those,) I can use with case when needed but I am retired seldom in meetings I need to mute but can when needed.

Me I like the camera tech and it draws me every year but I am not sure about the rumor of improved zoom being something I want.