Apple still dreams of an iPhone with haptic buttons

The post Apple still dreams of an iPhone with haptic buttons appeared first on Android Headlines.

Apr 3, 2025 - 16:58

Summary: Apple hasn’t given up on its buttonless iPhone dreams yet. A recent post on Weibo claims that Apple is still working on an iPhone with haptic buttons, but we still don’t know when it will launch.

Pretty much every smartphone out there today has physical buttons. These buttons allow users to switch between silent or ring mode, adjust volume, and turn the phone on or off. However, Apple thinks that one day, a future iPhone will ditch these physical buttons in favor of haptic buttons.

Not Apple’s first rodeo

This comes from a post on Weibo by a user known as “Instant Digital.” They claim that Apple is still working on a future iPhone that uses haptic buttons. The tipster claims that cost isn’t an issue here, but rather the issues that arise with haptic buttons where users might encounter “mistouches.”

It’s not hard to see why this is an issue. Imagine holding your iPhone only to accidentally lock it because your finger brushed up against the lock button.

This is also not the first time we’ve heard about Apple wanting to ditch the physical buttons on its iPhones. There were rumors a few years ago that Apple was exploring the idea of a buttonless iPhone. However, that never came to pass. This new post suggests that Apple hasn’t given up on the idea yet.

The leak also claims that Apple is working to adjust the “tactile design” of its solid-state buttons. Currently, Apple integrates them directly into the frame, without rebound when users press on them. Apple wants to change that. It wants to more closely replicate the experience of traditional mechanical buttons.

The iPhone 16’s Camera Control—was it a preview?

That said, we have to wonder if the Camera Control button on the iPhone 16 is a preview of what’s to come. The Camera Control button is unlike any other button Apple has introduced to its iPhones. It’s like Apple took the technology behind its MacBook trackpad and miniaturized it further.

Users can swipe and tap to make changes, and it gives physical feedback when pressed. However, its tactile feeling is different from the iPhone’s other buttons, like the volume rocker, Action Button, and power button. This suggests that Apple could be exploring the idea of implementing haptic buttons and is using the Camera Control button as a way to ease users into it and to get feedback.

We’re not sure when Apple will actually introduce an iPhone with haptic buttons. We’ve seen Apple’s attempt to replace function keys with the Touch Bar on its MacBook laptops, which was not well-received. Hopefully, a buttonless iPhone won’t end up being such a disaster.

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