Action button shown in new iPhone 15 Pro case leak

AppleInsider

A new video purporting to show cases for the iPhone 15 Pro also clearly shows how the old mute switch is replaced by an Action button.

The Action button is on the side at the top, where the current mute switch is

This is not the first time that a leak concerning cases has shown an Action button, and rumors of the new control have been increasing since the Apple Watch Ultra introduced such a feature.

Following on from his own leak about colors for the regular iPhone 15 range, generally reliable leaker Sonny Dickson has shown off the iPhone 15 Pro in a new video.

Leaker Sonny Dickson's tweet on X/Twitter

The video is wordless and there is no description at all. So it's not clear whether the phone in the case is claimed to be an actual iPhone 15 Pro, or a mockup.

However, the casing is unmistakably clear about the Action button, which lies above the volume controls and in place of the old mute switch.

Back in October 2022, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that all controls -- volume and mute -- on the iPhone 15 Pro would switch from mechanical to solid state buttons. Later, Kuo reported that technical problems meant Apple had abandoned this idea.

However it's implemented, though, it's still expected that an Action button will appear on the forthcoming iPhone 15 Pro, including the ability to control the camera.

Apple will unveil its iPhone 15 range on September 12, 2023.

Read on AppleInsider

king editor the grate

Looking forward to getting some action. 

9secondkox2

An action button is cool. 

But not at the expense of the mute switch. 

A mute feature should never be a button that you can accidentally press. 

It should be a switch that requires purpose to activate. 

The only way to make the action button into an effective mute switch would be to follow a button press with an on screen prompt. The problem with that would be timing. There are situations in life when you need to be able to inconspicuously mute the phone without lighting up the screen or taking another two seconds to mute. In church, a memorial, a movie theater, hiding from criminals (wish that one was a joke), etc. 

so an action button isn’t bad. Could be nice. But don’t get rid of the mute switch. 

coolfactor

This whole time, I thought this Action button was going to be opposite the Volume buttons, where the Power/Sleep button is. If they are going to add an Action button, that would have been the better candidate... a multi-purpose button.

For myself, I'm constantly fiddling around to find the Volume buttons in the dark. Now we'll have a third button to contend with? Downgrade in user experience.

coolfactor

9secondkox2 said:

An action button is cool. 

But not at the expense of the mute switch. 

A mute feature should never be a button that you can accidentally press. 

It should be a switch that requires purpose to activate. 

The only way to make the action button into an effective mute switch would be to follow a button press with an on screen prompt. The problem with that would be timing. There are situations in life when you need to be able to inconspicuously mute the phone without lighting up the screen or taking another two seconds to mute. In church, a memorial, a movie theater, hiding from criminals (wish that one was a joke), etc. 

so an action button isn’t bad. Could be nice. But don’t get rid of the mute switch. 

Technically, any button press silences ringing and notification sounds. It already works that way.

I leave my phone in Mute mode all the time. Life is quieter that way.

jasonfj

I expect it will be programmable in ways such as double click and long press etc. 

Although I will miss the mute switch. (And I can already use the volume buttons for the camera, so no gain there.)

9secondkox2

coolfactor said:

9secondkox2 said:

An action button is cool. 

But not at the expense of the mute switch. 

A mute feature should never be a button that you can accidentally press. 

It should be a switch that requires purpose to activate. 

The only way to make the action button into an effective mute switch would be to follow a button press with an on screen prompt. The problem with that would be timing. There are situations in life when you need to be able to inconspicuously mute the phone without lighting up the screen or taking another two seconds to mute. In church, a memorial, a movie theater, hiding from criminals (wish that one was a joke), etc. 

so an action button isn’t bad. Could be nice. But don’t get rid of the mute switch. 

Technically, any button press silences ringing and notification sounds. It already works that way.

I leave my phone in Mute mode all the time. Life is quieter that way.

The point is rather unintended registration causing the phone to unmute. Easy to accidentally press a button. The way the switch is implemented it’s a lot more difficult to accidentally unmute. 

But like you I also have my phone on mute most of the time. I control my phone. Not the other way around. LOL

9secondkox2

A rethink of the sleep/on button would have been the better option. It’s already kind of an action button with the App Store. 

anome

So a picture of a button in the same location as the mute switch, that looks almost exactly like the mute switch (yes, I get it looks more like a button than a switch), on something that might be an official mock up, but also might not be, is proof that they're ditching the mute switch...

Having a mechanical switch for mute is obviously preferable to a solid state button. I still miss having the switch on the side of my iPad for either mute or rotation lock. Plus there are several advantages to having a physical indicator that your phone is muted.