Apple has officially killed off the Home Button

AppleInsider

With the introduction of the iPhone 16e, Apple has officially ended the nearly two-decade run of the Home Button.

The iPhone SE 3 was the last of Apple's products to feature the Home Button

On Wednesday, Apple announced the iPhone 16e. Designed to replace the budget-friendly iPhone SE, it offers a lower price point for new and returning iPhone owners -- or anyone who isn't looking to drop $800 on a mainline release.

All three generations of the iPhone SE featured a home button. However, we had already expected that the newest budget model would move to Face ID.

The iPhone SE was the last bastion for those not yet ready to move to Face ID. Unfortunately, Apple has stopped selling the iPhone SE, officially marking the death of the Home Button.

The iPad ceased to have a home button in May of 2024 when Apple quietly stopped selling the ninth-generation 10.2-inch iPad. It was the last of Apple's tablets with the Home Button -- and the last to boast a Lighting port and a headphone jack.

Its replacement, the tenth-generation iPad, moved its Touch ID sensor to the top button, much like the fourth-generation iPad Air. It also replaced its Lightning port with a USB-C.

In fact, the introduction of the iPhone 16e also means that you cannot purchase any new Apple products that feature a Lightning port. This is hardly surprising, as Apple has moved to the universal charging standard at the behest of the European Union.

The Home Button was first introduced in 2007, making its debut on the first iPhone. It appeared on every flagship iPhone model up through the iPhone 8. It also appeared on all three generations of iPhone SE models, as well as all seven generations of the iPod Touch.

While it departed the iPad Pro earlier, it was on every entry-level iPad through the ninth-generation model in 2021.

The Home Button became the designated home for Apple's first biometric security feature, Touch ID, in 2013 with the introduction of the iPhone 5s.

While the Home Button may be gone, it's certainly not forgotten. And Touch ID, for now, seems like it will hang on as part of Apple's iPad lineup.



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randominternetperson

AppleInsider said:

In fact, the introduction of the iPhone 16e also means that you cannot purchase any new Apple products that feature a Lightning port

That really is a milestone. I hadn't noticed that.

We need an in memoriam for that little guy. So much better than all the alternatives at the time.

ringodude

AppleInsider said:

The Home Button became the designated home for Apple's first biometric security feature, Touch ID, in 2013 with the introduction of the iPhone 5s. 

It was actually the iPhone 5 in 2012 that introduced Touch ID. Close, but no cigar today.

wesley hilliard

ringodude said:

AppleInsider said:

The Home Button became the designated home for Apple's first biometric security feature, Touch ID, in 2013 with the introduction of the iPhone 5s. 

It was actually the iPhone 5 in 2012 that introduced Touch ID. Close, but no cigar today.

Nope, it was the iPhone 5s that introduced Touch ID.

22july2013

The iPad Air 2, released in October 2014, was the first iPad to introduce Touch ID.

amberneely

ringodude said:

AppleInsider said:

The Home Button became the designated home for Apple's first biometric security feature, Touch ID, in 2013 with the introduction of the iPhone 5s. 

It was actually the iPhone 5 in 2012 that introduced Touch ID. Close, but no cigar today.

Apple saved all its new and noteable features for the "s" lineups for that era.

• iPhone 4s brought Siri
• iPhone 5s brought touch ID
• iPhone 6s ... I think was 4k video and force touch? (That one I'm a little more shaky on.) 

Simpler times. Gotta say, I don't love the whole iPhone x, iPhone x Plus, iPhone x Pro, iPhone x Pro Max, and now iPhone x-e. 


But they went and killed off my mini. I'm definitely not salty about that at all. Perish the thought.

edited February 20

amberneely

randominternetperson said:

AppleInsider said:

In fact, the introduction of the iPhone 16e also means that you cannot purchase any new Apple products that feature a Lightning port

That really is a milestone. I hadn't noticed that.

We need an in memoriam for that little guy. So much better than all the alternatives at the time.

THANK YOU. I know people are like "ugh Apple and its proprietary charging ports" but it was such an upgrade over the 30-pin, which was honestly a nightmare, and microUSB?? I still have a few things that use microUSB and they are one of the most "death by a thousand paper cuts" interactions you can have with a charging port. Especially on all-black electronics where the port is kind of obscured (like Bluetooth speakers and the such.)

I dunno. I do prefer USB-C, I think it's a far and away better than the rest of the USB lineup, and I do think its better than Lightning, but at no point in my life did I ever look at a Lightning charger and get mad. (Definitely can't say the same for the 30-pin or microUSB... and don't even get me stated on miniUSB.) 

amberneely

22july2013 said:

The iPad Air 2, released in October 2014, was the first iPad to introduce Touch ID.

Correct, but I didn't say anything about the first iPad to have Touch ID. I just said that Touch ID was moved from the Home Button to the top button 10.2-inch iPad in the 10th iteration, killing off the Home Button in iPad. 

fred1

AmberNeely said:

randominternetperson said:

AppleInsider said:

In fact, the introduction of the iPhone 16e also means that you cannot purchase any new Apple products that feature a Lightning port

That really is a milestone. I hadn't noticed that.

We need an in memoriam for that little guy. So much better than all the alternatives at the time.

THANK YOU. I know people are like "ugh Apple and its proprietary charging ports" but it was such an upgrade over the 30-pin, which was honestly a nightmare, and microUSB?? I still have a few things that use microUSB and they are one of the most "death by a thousand paper cuts" interactions you can have with a charging port. Especially on all-black electronics where the port is kind of obscured (like Bluetooth speakers and the such.)

I dunno. I do prefer USB-C, I think it's a far and away better than the rest of the USB lineup, and I do think its better than Lightning, but at no point in my life did I ever look at a Lightning charger and get mad. (Definitely can't say the same for the 30-pin or microUSB... and don't even get me stated on miniUSB.) 

Yes, it was a huge improvement over the 30-pin connector, but the key word here is “proprietary”. I remember when the lightning port was first presented and Phil Schiller made a big deal about the courage it took Apple to do this. Yes, courage to invent a port that would require everyone, including headphone manufacturers (this was before Bluetooth was so common) to pay Apple a premium to use their connector. Courageous? Not sure. Lucrative? Very.