Apple Tweaks iPhone 16 Pro Action Button Design as Early Development Continues

[MacRumors]

Recent iPhone 16 Pro prototypes seen by MacRumors indicate that Apple has again tweaked the design of the Action button, and now it looks much like the Action button found on the iPhone 15 Pro. Apple has been toying with the size and design of the Action button for the iPhone 16 Pro, but in the latest "Proto2" development stage, the company is sticking with a tried and true design.

During the different iPhone 16 Pro development stages, Apple has tested four button configurations and two sizes for the Action button.

• Unified volume button with small Action button
• Unified volume button with large Action button and new Capture button
• Separate volume buttons with large Action button and Capture button flush with frame
• Separate volume buttons with small Action button and Capture button flush with frame (current)

The earliest known prototypes of the iPhone 16 Pro had a unified volume button and small multi-purpose Action button, both on the left side, with a power button on the right. This design was initially developed as part of Project Bongo, which was an attempt to bring haptic buttons the iPhone 15 Pro. While the project was ultimately canceled due to unsatisfactory test results and high hardware failure rates, parts of the Bongo design, namely the unified volume button, found their way onto early designs of the iPhone 16 Pro.

The second prototype variant of the iPhone 16 Pro also used a unified volume button, but it had a larger Action button that was close in size to the volume buttons. This prototype also had an additional "Capture button" on the right side below the power button.

Later prototypes (pictured above) featured separate volume buttons rather than the unified button design. With these more recent units, Apple planned to include a capacitive Action button and Capture button, both of which were flush with the frame and featured force sensor technology.

With the most recent "Proto2" design, Apple has once again changed the Action button. Apple has now adopted a smaller Action button that mirrors the Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro, doing away with the larger, flush look. While it is currently unclear how this affects the future of Apple's work on a capacitive Action button, a design change as significant as this indicates it has been canceled or postponed for future iPhone iterations.

Although the information presented here accurately describes existing internal designs, it is important to note that additional design changes are always possible, and the information presented here may not reflect finalized design of the iPhone 16 Pro.

For additional information on what to expect from the 2024 iPhone lineup, check out our dedicated rumor roundups for iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro.



Article Link: Apple Tweaks iPhone 16 Pro Action Button Design as Early Development Continues

 

[macjonny1]

Getting harder and harder to get excited about any updates for years to be honest.

 

[TruthAboveAllElse]

I will not buy a new iPhone so long as the design is basically the same as the iPhone 12.

 

[scrapesleon]

spending too much time on a simple button there are more important issue at hand lol

 

[Marty80]

Apple is only focusing in buttons , I wish my iphone 12 pro max battery would last, i guess i will be forced to update.

But the iphone is now officially boring, we need a design change i am pretty much buying another phone 12 pro max with tweaks.

Apple is sinking and i am trapped in its ecosystem.

 

[Vincent_8798]

Getting harder and harder to get excited about any updates for years to be honest.

I was (and I am) pretty excited when I bought the iPhone 15 Pro, the changes were and are noticeable (new frame, processor, port etc.), but I agree, and I think there won’t be the same “excitement” for a new iPhone version in at least a couple of years…

 

[Marty80]

I was (and I am) pretty excited when I bought the iPhone 15 Pro, the changes were and are noticeable (new frame, processor, port etc.), but I agree, and I think there won’t be the same “excitement” for a new iPhone version in at least a couple of years…

The next wow will be the iphone 19 pro max if Young’s full screen rumours hold out.

 

[mgz]

Jesus, who gives AF how "Exciting" the design is? This is a device I use all day every day, I don't need the design to be "exciting" I need it to steadily improve and gain new functionality that is just as easy to use.

And yeah dude I think Apple is capable of working on more than button designs. Perhaps most of their work is going on in the INSIDE of the device?

 

[DCstewieG]

I wish my iphone 12 pro max battery would last, i guess i will be forced to update.

Maybe....replace the battery?

 

[Born Again]

The most exciting announcement yet!!!!!!

I've been holding out for the action button redesign! I can't be the only one - can i?!

 

[magicschoolbus]

Still seeing a lot of 12, 13's in the wild. I assume the 16 will be a pretty big upgrade cycle.

 

[JohnnyQuest]

This was the first year in a while that I didn't upgrade. Hoping the jump from 14 Pro to 16 Pro will be decent.

 

[paradox00]

Still seeing a lot of 12, 13's in the wild. I assume the 16 will be a pretty big upgrade cycle.

I'm in the minority, but whenever I decide I'm done with my 13 mini I'll try to find a refurbished 15 Pro. Not enthused about phone sizes increasing even more with the iPhone 16.

 

[Fuzzball84]

This is Apple Button... a unified single-button experience. Using Apple silicon and its advanced AI we have developed a truly remarkable system. This innovative one-button experience has taken years of development.

We are really excited to find out what our users will do with Apple Button.

 

[klasma]

I don’t see how you can have precise actuation if the button is flush with the frame.

 

[dannyyankou]

So by tweaking the design, you mean they're not tweaking the design...

 

[Hogswarts]

I find the iPhone 15 Pro Action button to be a "tried and true" pain point.

 

[dannyyankou]

I don’t see how you can have precise actuation if the button is flush with the frame.

The only way I can see it making sense is if it's a touch sensitive button, and you just rest your finger on it.

 

[klasma]

Maybe Apple thinks that because we have five fingers we need five buttons?

Or maybe it’s like the quarks. We a have the up and down quarks (volume buttons), the top and bottom quarks (power and capture buttons), the strange quark (action button). What’s missing is the charm button.

 

[RacMumors-]

I'm not a fan of the current action button design/location.

The amount of times I've reached into my pocket to increase the volume on something and hit the action button by accident. The buttons are too close to each other and similar in shape.

Could they redesign the button? Move it to the other side? I dont know but the way it is now, doesnt work.

 

[gk_brown]

This was the first year in a while that I didn't upgrade. Hoping the jump from 14 Pro to 16 Pro will be decent.

I've never understood the yearly upgrade cycle. I generally keep mine for 4-5 years.

 

[Volk.JP]

In a few years they will return back to the switch instead of this button and everyone will be happy again

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Getting harder and harder to get excited about any updates for years to be honest.

I disagree. IF Apple was to a reasonably ergonomic camera shutter release it would be something to get excited about.

 

[Kobra]

I hope that the “capture button“ on the right side goes to production. A capture button in that location makes sense as the camera lenses will be in the top left position as you take pictures in landscape mode.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Recent iPhone 16 Pro prototypes seen by MacRumors indicate that Apple has again tweaked the design of the Action button, and now it looks much like the Action button found on the iPhone 15 Pro. Apple has been toying with the size and design of the Action button for the iPhone 16 Pro, but in the latest "Proto2" development stage, the company is sticking with a tried and true design.

During the different iPhone 16 Pro development stages, Apple has tested four button configurations and two sizes for the Action button.

• Unified volume button with small Action button
• Unified volume button with large Action button and new Capture button
• Separate volume buttons with large Action button and Capture button flush with frame
• Separate volume buttons with small Action button and Capture button flush with frame (current)

The earliest known prototypes of the iPhone 16 Pro had a unified volume button and small multi-purpose Action button, both on the left side, with a power button on the right. This design was initially developed as part of Project Bongo, which was an attempt to bring haptic buttons the iPhone 15 Pro. While the project was ultimately canceled due to unsatisfactory test results and high hardware failure rates, parts of the Bongo design, namely the unified volume button, found their way onto early designs of the iPhone 16 Pro.

The second prototype variant of the iPhone 16 Pro also used a unified volume button, but it had a larger Action button that was close in size to the volume buttons. This prototype also had an additional "Capture button" on the right side below the power button.

Later prototypes (pictured above) featured separate volume buttons rather than the unified button design. With these more recent units, Apple planned to include a capacitive Action button and Capture button, both of which were flush with the frame and featured force sensor technology.

With the most recent "Proto2" design, Apple has once again changed the Action button. Apple has now adopted a smaller Action button that mirrors the Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro, doing away with the larger, flush look. While it is currently unclear how this affects the future of Apple's work on a capacitive Action button, a design change as significant as this indicates it has been canceled or postponed for future iPhone iterations.

Although the information presented here accurately describes existing internal designs, it is important to note that additional design changes are always possible, and the information presented here may not reflect finalized design of the iPhone 16 Pro.

For additional information on what to expect from the 2024 iPhone lineup, check out our dedicated rumor roundups for iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro.



Article Link: Apple Tweaks iPhone 16 Pro Action Button Design as Early Development Continues

<YAWN> Apple makes iPhone prototypes. So what. That is not even a rumor.