Apple is thought to have switched back to classic moving buttons for the iPhone 15 Pros due to technical challenges associated with their solid-state counterparts.
- What’s happening? New analyst reports claim Apple’s upcoming iPhone 15 Pro models won’t have the rumored non-moving buttons due to technical challenges.
- Why care? Some people said non-moving buttons would be a usability regression. Others weren’t so sure about the supposedly multi-purpose silent switch either. If you’re among them, today’s report should be music to your ears.
- What to do? Read the full report shared by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo on Medium.
iPhone 15 Pros may have regular buttons after all
The upcoming iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models were supposed to feature solid-state buttons, a la the iPhone 7’s Home button, that was supposed to be sensitive to touch and provide fake clicks via two additional Taptic Engines.
But Apple has apparently decided to switch back to the classic moving button design for the Volume Up and Volume Down control, and the traditional Silent/Ringer switch, due to “unresolved technical issues before mass production.”
That’s according to Ming-Chi Kuo, arguably the most reliable Apple analyst.
Doing so “will simplify the development and testing process,” the analyst assures. “Removing solid-state buttons should have a limited impact on the mass production schedule and shipments for the iPhone 15 Pro models,” Kuo claims.
The findings, based on Kuo’s reliable sources deep in Apple’s supply chain, are backed by Haitong International Securities analysts Jeff Pu and Shelly Chou. Apple can update the iPhone 15 Pro design, Kuo explains, because the device is currently in the EVT (Engineer Validation Test) stage, which precedes mass production.
Don’t write off solid-state buttons just yet!
We no longer expect the iPhone 15 Pros to ditch the separate volume buttons for a single non-moving volume rocker and adopt a capacitive silent switch because it’s not wise to bet against Kuo. Neither analyst seems to know the details of the technical challenges that have forced Apple to switch back to the classic buttons.
That doesn’t mean that Apple won’t equip 2024’s iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max with solid-state buttons—provided the Cupertino company can resolve technical issues within the next twelve months, of course.