A series of rumors about the iPhone 15 Pro models, Apple’s will replace physical buttons Volume control with one unified button with haptic feedback will simulate the pressure with small vibrations just like the home button of the iPhone 7. That is, it will not be a physical button, but a small, elongated touch panel located on the side of the terminal.

So far, always on all iPhone models two buttons on the side To increase and decrease the volume. But a series of recent leaks are revealing some details and some details about its buttonless design. works according to CAD files An iPhone 15 prototype showing what its touchpad will look like. So what are the reasons that push Apple to make this important change? In this opinion piece, we will try to unravel the mysteries surrounding this enigmatic unknown.

A fundamental change in design: costs, durability, innovation and other possible causes

Apple will unify the volume buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro

Replacing the physical buttons of the iPhone 15 Pro is just will completely change the side border Your next iPhone – well, if you decide to get one, that is – but they’re also going to change the way you use the device.

This is a very exciting new development and design change, if you allow it, it will be exciting. A small detail yes, but what the iPhone 15 Pro will offer with its general appearance a much more aesthetic and futuristic vision your smartphone. We could be entering the entrance hall. Return of Touch ID functionality to iPhone. But let’s go step by step. This is unlikely to happen in 2023.

more cad images
Keys!
source in video pic.twitter.com/sxy9GaNCre

— ShrimpApplePro 🍤 (@VNchocoTaco) 20 March 2023

This isn’t the first time Apple has removed physical buttons from its iPhone. This was already in 2017 when Apple launched it. iPhone X announces the final goodbye to the iconic physical home button that has existed since the original iPhone. Having the bitten apple logo, the company did not stop there, it continued to implement minor design changes (speakers, microphones, casing, thinner bezels, notch, Dynamic Island…). Removing the 3.5mm jack plug. for headphones for a wireless future.

This leads us to the next question: Is this Apple’s vision of a future without buttons? It could be. I mean, it starts with something, right? But there are other factors that may have contributed to the decision to change the physical buttons to this tactile “buttonless”.

Replacing physical volume buttons can simplify the manufacturing process

iPhone 15 Pro may have a single volume control touch button on its side edge

This big little design change is the key to Apple’s supply chain. It will greatly speed up the production process. In the integration of the buttons or simply, they sought a solution to reduce the economic costs of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

However, this seems unlikely. In fact, the new haptic volume control will require two tactical engines and a pressure sensor (tactile), which does not reduce costs, but makes it more expensive. But then why would they make this change?

Maybe they don’t want to offer a cheaper iPhone 15 Pro than Apple. In fact, the iPhone 15 Pro will be the most expensive iPhone ever. They may not want to speed up your production either. All they want (finally) provide design innovation to consumers which made them feel like they weren’t getting a new almost identical iPhone and Dynamic Island wasn’t enough.

This concept shows us an iPhone 15 Pro with a touch side panel.

However, another reason could be the increase. product durability And in water and dust resistance. Although Cupertino does not seem to have a problem with this, the most important factor in waterproofing is the Lightning port – it will be replaced by the USB-C port on the iPhone 15 – so it does not gain much. Although it helps.

Advantages and disadvantages of iPhone 15 Pro’s new voice control

Processing CAD files shows two holes for applying a combo button.

Really, figuring out what the exact reason for the iPhone 15 Pro’s physical volume buttons replacement or removal is a more complex exercise than we thought. However, this design change bring certain benefits both the company and the consumers.

Let’s start with the MacBook’s trackpad with Force Touch functionality. This trackpad haptic technology. apply multiple levels of pressure to access more features. This functionality may also be available on the iPhone 15 Pro, and in addition to the iPhone 7’s home button, it is also somewhat reminiscent of the 3D Touch functionality.

Adjusting the volume control will be much faster than current generation iPhones with physical buttons (I don’t know how precisely). It would even be possible for users to have the ability to: Gently slide this pressure sensitive panel to control the volume. However, Apple may also prefer a mechanism consisting of: a quick tap, a stronger tap, or several simultaneous taps.

iPhone 15 concept with quad cameras and tactile buttons

However, when there is no visual (or indeed physical) indication of the volume control buttons, this design change can lead to many accidental errors if redundancy is allowed. How many times will we have to do the wrong volume control when the volume buttons are changed?

But that’s not the worst, no, no, no… it doesn’t end there, there is another, more serious problem. Although it seems crazy (sorry, comes the irony) There will be many users who decide to buy a case so that their expensive iPhone 15 Pro does not break. taking damage. Accessing the new tactile volume control will be much more difficult for them than it would be with physical buttons. The truth is, the more I write on this article, the more skeptical I feel about the arrival of this design change.

Regardless, the volume buttons won’t be the only thing Apple will replace with the release of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max (popularly known as the iPhone 15 Ultra). In theory, Apple will also replace the classic mute switch located on the side of the phone, right next to the volume buttons. But the switch will not be replaced by a touch panel, but instead will be changed to a small buttonaccording to recent rumours.

After all, the reason will not be as simple and obvious as cutting costs, speeding up production, increasing durability, or applying better waterproofing. I firmly believe that this is merely a question of novelty.. Apple is constantly criticized, even by its most fanatical fans, for constantly presenting a design with great risk or lack of courage. In addition, with this replacement of the physical buttons, they will likely also introduce new software features, which is good news. We’ll see what the end will be!

iPhone 15

Brand view Release date 2023