Kuo: iPhone 15 Pro Models to Feature Solid-State Buttons and Three Taptic Engines

[MacRumors]

The iPhone 15 Pro models may feature solid-state volume and power buttons, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

The Taptic Engine in the iPhone 6S – the first iPhone model to feature the component.​

In a tweet, Kuo explained that the volume and power buttons on next year's two high-end iPhone models may adopt a solid-state design, similar to the iPhone 7's home button, replacing a mechanical button design that physically depresses. Apple uses a similar method for its Mac trackpads, which do not physically move and simply mimic the feeling of being pressed with small vibrations.

The new iPhones will reportedly feature additional Taptic Engines on the internal left and right sides to provide feedback to users, making it seem as though they are pressing physical buttons. The change means that the number of Taptic Engines in each iPhone will increase from one to three.

Apple was rumored to be planning to switch the Apple Watch to solid-state buttons several years ago, but the change never took place. At the time, it was said that solid-state buttons would improve water resistance and take up less internal space, but it is not clear if that would be the case for the iPhone since sufficient space for two more Taptic Engines would be required.

In an additional thread, Kuo said that "the buttonless design and switch to USB-C are two of the major updates for iPhone 15."

Article Link: Kuo: iPhone 15 Pro Models to Feature Solid-State Buttons and Three Taptic Engines

 

[MayaUser]

Don't you need "real" buttons to turn on or force restart the device? Otherwise some part of the software needs to always work/run.

 

[zapmymac]

Closer to portless & waterproof.

I just wanna easier way to do a DFU.

 

[teknikal90]

battery will take a hit.

 

[MayaUser]

battery will take a hit.

not if Apple increase the battery, but for say, you are right

 

[snowatom]

Sucks when using phone covers

 

[atomic.flip]

Sucks when using phone covers

It will increase the cost of those covers as they will have to engineer materials to transfer electric conduction from the button surface to the finger through their cover’s medium.

 

[johannnn]

In an additional thread, Kuo said that "The buttonless design and switch to USB-C are two of the major updates for iPhone 15."

That's it lol?
* I don't really care if the buttons are real or not, as long as they feel like real buttons
* I use magsafe to charge, I don't really care about USB-C. Rather, it'll be expensive for me to replace all my Lighting cables/accessories with USB-C alternatives.

 

[johannnn]

It will increase the cost of those covers as they will have to engineer materials to transfer electric conduction from the button surface to the finger through their cover’s medium.

They will just make a hole where the "buttons" are placed. No way 3rd party stuff will have engineered electric conducting materials near the buttons. I doubt it will happen. And they will be expensive.

 

[james2538]

not if Apple increase the battery, but for say, you are right

Seems like increasing the battery size + additional Taptic Engines will just increase the weight for no real reason.

The iPhone Pro/Max are already heavy enough as it is. They just slowly keep getting fatter every year.

 

[adamw]

Just make it much faster, with a smaller nanometer die size CPU with less heat please.

 

[Will Co]

Don't you need "real" buttons to turn on or force restart the device? Otherwise some part of the software needs to always work/run.

battery will take a hit.

The engine will probably have a deep sleep mode which is capable of handling a basic button press gesture without other hardware or software support. Such modes are common in power, supervisor and push button controller type devices. Means the rest of the device is fully powered down and this chip is sipping just uA or even nA of current. No significant effect on battery in this mode.

A bit more juice to run the Taptic feedback effects when fully powered up, but I don’t think volume and power buttons are a heavy use item anyway.

 

[james2538]

That's it lol?
* I don't really care if the buttons are real or not, as long as they feel like real buttons
* I use magsafe to charge, I don't really care about USB-C. Rather, it'll be expensive for me to replace all my Lighting cables/accessories with USB-C alternatives.

I imagine another one will be the A17 chip which should finally break us into 3nm fabrication (we’ve been on 5nm since A14). We’ll see battery life/performance improvements from it.

 

[james2538]

A bit more juice to run the Taptic feedback effects when fully powered up, but I don’t think volume and power buttons are a heavy use item anyway.

Uh, the power button? That’s used significantly throughout my day to turn off the display.

 

[verdi1987]

Don't you need "real" buttons to turn on or force restart the device? Otherwise some part of the software needs to always work/run.

My guess is that they’d have a firmware just for the haptic engines that would run independent of iOS.

 

[verdi1987]

Uh, the power button? That’s used significantly throughout my day to turn off the display.

Maybe that person means in terms of energy consumption.

 

[Bustycat]

That's it lol?
* I don't really care if the buttons are real or not, as long as they feel like real buttons
* I use magsafe to charge, I don't really care about USB-C. Rather, it'll be expensive for me to replace all my Lighting cables/accessories with USB-C alternatives.

Just you

 

[dantracht]

I don’t know, is this really something that needs to be top of the list of changes? Is this something we really need changed? I’m honestly asking.

 

[sully54]

I’d guess they’re going to use the same skin-detect sensors they use in the AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro 2 to detect a finger as opposed to anything else pressing on the sides in a purse or picket for example.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

The best of the best is yet to come. 💫

Love it! I suspect we will see a significant re-design with the iPhone 15 lineup. Apple needs to bring back the 3D touch!

 

[verdi1987]

I don’t know, is this really something that needs to be top of the list of changes? Is this something we really need changed? I’m honestly asking.

I suspect that it gets them closer to fully waterproofing the device.

On one of my early iPhones, the buttons became worn, so it would take several presses sometimes to register. For years afterward, I tried to limit how frequently I pressed the buttons.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

The Three Taptic Engines could only be reserved for iPhone 15 Ultra.

 

[SpotOnT]

And what is the advantage of this? Will it make our lives better? Will it make the device easier to use? Is it cheaper to manufacture?

I get waterproofing could be helpful, but until Apple replaces the glue based seal with a gasket, any waterproofing after a battery change is highly suspect anyway.

 

[james2538]

Love it! I suspect we will see a major re-design with the iPhone 15 line up.

The best of the best is yet to come. 💫

I think we will get a redesign.

iPhone 12/13/14 all look roughly the same, just as X/XS/11 did. Apple seems to run on a 3 year design cycle now as opposed to the 2 year cycle for the first iPhone decade.

I’m hoping we go back to rounded sides, makes the iPhone easier to hold.

 

[David1964]

It will increase the cost of those covers as they will have to engineer materials to transfer electric conduction from the button surface to the finger through their cover’s medium.

Not necessarily.They could just have cut-outs for the buttons.The downside is that cases would be less protective though.