Leaked iPhone 15 Pro images back up solid state button rumor

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone edited March 2023
Apple leaker ShrimpApplePro has shared new iPhone 15 Pro renders showing a unified volume and mute buttons.

Render of new buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro models
Render of new buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro models


The iPhone 15 Pro versions are anticipated to include a single, long button for controlling the volume rather than two buttons for volume up and volume down. And, though Apple has included a mute switch since the original iPhone, upcoming models might feature a mute button.

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The buttons!
Source in video pic.twitter.com/sxy9GaNCre

-- ShrimpApplePro (@VNchocoTaco)


If accurate, the CAD images from ShrimpApplePro validate a rumor that said Apple would replace all physical buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro models with solid-state versions. Instead of physically moving, the buttons would provide haptic feedback from two additional Taptic Engines inside the iPhone to simulate the feeling of movement, similar to the MacBook's Force Touch trackpad.

"ShrimpApplePro" has a reasonably good leak history, including predictions about the Apple Watch Series 8 design. They also shared a video earlier in March showing that all iPhone 15 models would get the Dynamic Island and a slightly curved bezel.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 33
    retrogustoretrogusto Posts: 1,146member
    JP234 said:
    To anyone who's accidentally pushed a button on his phone, why does changing the mute switch to a button benefit the user. Seems like it was done just to benefit Apple. You're going to mute your phone without knowing you did it, you know you are, and wonder why you and Siri are no longer on speaking terms.
    Hopefully just a rumor. It would be very frustrating to no longer be able to look at the switch to see if the ringer was off or not, and it’s unclear if this would also mean that I couldn’t adjust volume without taking the phone out of my pocket, but that would be a meaningful step in the wrong direction too, at least for me. And as you note, there would be no clear advantage for the user. Someone might mention something like increased water resistance, but the number of people who really need to take their phone deep underwater is…pretty limited.
    williamlondoncaladanianbloggerblogJP234byronl
  • Reply 2 of 33
    9secondkox29secondkox2 Posts: 3,196member
    I SOOOOO hope not!

    im already accidentally bumping the volume up when watching a movie just by holding the phone. 

    Now I can do it with the grace of my finger? 

    God help us…

    just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. 


    williamlondonWhiskeyAPPLEcidercaladanian
  • Reply 3 of 33
    StymyxStymyx Posts: 6member
    I SOOOOO hope not!

    im already accidentally bumping the volume up when watching a movie just by holding the phone. 

    Now I can do it with the grace of my finger? 

    God help us…

    just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. 


    Agreed 100%.  I really like and use many Apple products, but this just seems like another poor design decision if it's true.  As it is, I can hold my iPhone in landscape mode to watch a video with the top of the phone facing left, and I can feel the volume buttons under my left thumb without actually pressing them. Same if I hold it in landscape mode in the other direction, with the top of the phone pointing right. In that case, I can feel the sleep/wake button under my right thumb without actually pressing it.  Apple is always talking about the "user experience" being Number One, but IF the volume and sleep/wake buttons become capacitive touch buttons, that would be a lousy user experience for me.  And if people complain about it, I can just imagine Apple saying "You're holding it wrong".  😐
    edited March 2023 9secondkox2williamlondonbyronl
  • Reply 4 of 33
    charlesncharlesn Posts: 1,235member
    I SOOOOO hope not!

    im already accidentally bumping the volume up when watching a movie just by holding the phone. 

    Now I can do it with the grace of my finger? 

    God help us…

    just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. 


    First: I'm sure that if mute becomes a solid state button, it will require a "long push" or some similar intentional action to activate and deactivate, which solves the "accidental" mute or unmute issue. 

    Second: if you've ever used a haptic trackpad on a Macbook, you know that a "click" isn't triggered just by laying your finger on the trackpad. You still have to push it, and even though it's not an actual mechanical push, it requires about the same amount of force. Same here. I'm sure the solid state haptic button will not accidentally activate any more than the current mechanical buttons. This is years-old technology for Apple and they know what they're doing. It will also result in greater water resistance for the iPhone and greater reliability of these controls. 

    I'm really loving the slight curve to the edges, which split the difference between flat-sided and the fully curved edges of iPhone 11 and prior generations. These should give the iPhone a more premium, polished and less slab-like look. 
    edited March 2023 jwdawsowilliamlondonScot1Spitbathnetroxbyronl
  • Reply 5 of 33
    bytorbytor Posts: 32member
    If I remember correctly, Jobs was adamant about having a switch because it was easy to use and you could always tell by a glance whether the sound was on or off. It seems that in recent years there has been a lack of hyper focus when it comes to design and use. While Cook has done a formidable job, Apple needs to bring back some of the vision and standards that were in place back in the day. Bring back Scott Forstall...
    WhiskeyAPPLEciderDAalsethdewmeJP234
  • Reply 6 of 33
    9secondkox29secondkox2 Posts: 3,196member
    charlesn said:
    I SOOOOO hope not!

    im already accidentally bumping the volume up when watching a movie just by holding the phone. 

    Now I can do it with the grace of my finger? 

    God help us…

    just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. 


    First: I'm sure that if mute becomes a solid state button, it will require a "long push" or some similar intentional action to activate and deactivate, which solves the "accidental" mute or unmute issue. 

    Second: if you've ever used a haptic trackpad on a Macbook, you know that a "click" isn't triggered just by laying your finger on the trackpad. You still have to push it, and even though it's not an actual mechanical push, it requires about the same amount of force. Same here. I'm sure the solid state haptic button will not accidentally activate any more than the current mechanical buttons. This is years-old technology for Apple and they know what they're doing. It will also result in greater water resistance for the iPhone and greater reliability of these controls. 

    I'm really loving the slight curve to the edges, which split the difference between flat-sided and the fully curved edges of iPhone 11 and prior generations. These should give the iPhone a more premium, polished and less slab-like look. 
    I have no issues with mute. I’m talking volume. 

    for example, you took a video of your dogs playing and wrestling outside, then you want to show it to your wife who’s rocking the baby to sleep. So you preset the volume just audible enough so she can hear the sound, but then accidentally graze the volume up capacitor and boom. Baby is awake and crying all over the place and your wife is now upset at you and you learn that yes, you really did marry an exa murderer. 

    Or you’re in college. In your dorm trying to be respectful of your sleeping roommate, but don’t have AirPods handy, so you lower the volume and watch Godzilla vs Kong or whatever and accidentally bump the volume. All of a sudden, you discover why your roommate is nicknamed “Hammer Hands Joe.”

     It’s a problem. 

     Much better to have physical volume keys - while not entirely capable of avoiding unintended selection, are 100% better at this than capacitive touch. Sheesh.

    though since you brought it up, the nut button absolutely needs to remain a toggle and not a button. 

    Sure, silencing a loud ringer is easier, but you can just as easily reverse that choice with the bump of a finger, an accidental “butt dial” in the pocket, purse, etc. not good. 
    edited March 2023 williamlondonWhiskeyAPPLEcider
  • Reply 7 of 33
    jwdawsojwdawso Posts: 397member
    But when is the physical keyboard coming back????
    williamlondonSpitbathrobin huberJaphey
  • Reply 8 of 33
    brianjobrianjo Posts: 57member
    If implemented the way the trackpad works on the MacBook, it should be fine.  The force touch Trackpad actually is BETTER and more consistent than the mechanical trackpad.  If you didn't know, you probably wouldn't know that it's not a real switch.  The only downside is that it doesn't work with gloves on.

    For a phone in your pocket, replacing the mechanical switch means it's less likely to have accidental volume changes, but you need bare hands (or compatible gloves) to operate the volume.

    For the mute switch though, the argument of going to a button vs a physical switch is hard to come up with a user argument that it's in any way better.  Cheaper and more waterproof? Maybe.  But from a user standpoint, being able to quickly physically flip a switch and have a clear indicator if you look at it vs a button.  Even if it requires a long press for the button, you can't quickly look at the phone and see the status.  If something on the display need to light up to indicate mute mode, well, now you need to light up the display when you may not want to put your phone into mute.
    StrangeDayswilliamlondonnetroxbyronl
  • Reply 9 of 33
    KBuffettKBuffett Posts: 102member
    bytor said:
    If I remember correctly, Jobs was adamant about having a switch because it was easy to use and you could always tell by a glance whether the sound was on or off. It seems that in recent years there has been a lack of hyper focus when it comes to design and use. While Cook has done a formidable job, Apple needs to bring back some of the vision and standards that were in place back in the day. Bring back Scott Forstall...

    Likewise, the sleep/wake button should never have moved from the top of the phone, where it was during Jobs’ era
    thtcaladanianJapheydewme
  • Reply 10 of 33
    CheeseFreezeCheeseFreeze Posts: 1,353member
    Why would you re-design a clear tactical switch button for 'mute' as a push button that doesn't provide the same feedback? That seems like a step back.

    In general Apple has been prioritising design too much over usability/affordance. Luckily the latest generation of laptops fix some of that. But on the software side, even a button doesn't look like a button anymore, but an icon. We don't need skeuomorphism, but basic clues on what a UI element or hardware button is vastly prefered over
    WhiskeyAPPLEciderwilliamlondon
  • Reply 11 of 33
    jasonfjjasonfj Posts: 570member
    And  we haven’t even discussed how this would work inside a case…
    WhiskeyAPPLEciderwilliamlondonanonymousedjames4242byronl
  • Reply 12 of 33
    DAalsethDAalseth Posts: 3,089member
    What about cases? The case on my iPhone covers the buttons to protect them. This means that I can’t touch them any more. Are case makers going to have to leave openings where the buttons are? 
    caladaniandewmeanonymousebyronl
  • Reply 13 of 33
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 4,037member
    Existing mute switch, especially when in a case, has long been a problem for me. Can’t feel if it’s activated, and can’t see the tiny sliver of red paint. Often my phone is left on mute and I don’t realize it. As for the buttons (both volume and off/on), just hope they aren’t worse than the mechanical Siri switch on the side of the latest TV remote. I often invoke her when picking it up to do something else. Way too sensitive!
    edited March 2023 Japheywilliamlondon
  • Reply 14 of 33
    JFC_PAJFC_PA Posts: 948member
    Better weather proofing is welcome. I’d expect an icon up at the top perhaps. 
  • Reply 15 of 33
    s.metcalfs.metcalf Posts: 995member
    The current mute switch is difficult to use in some cases (at least with my perpetually short nails) and not at all easy to see in dark environments.  All they need to do is use a different haptic response for on and off and have an icon next to the notch (or some other on-screen indication) when it’s silent, like there already is for the portion orientation lock.  Problem solved.

    And I agree with the person who says accidental presses won’t be a problem.  They’ll make it to require about the same force as pressing the buttons currently.

    Nobody has looked back after using the haptic trackpad.  It’ll be the same for these buttons.

    These renders are already making my 14 PM feel old!
    edited March 2023 robin huberbyronl
  • Reply 16 of 33
    netroxnetrox Posts: 1,517member
    bytor said:
    If I remember correctly, Jobs was adamant about having a switch because it was easy to use and you could always tell by a glance whether the sound was on or off. It seems that in recent years there has been a lack of hyper focus when it comes to design and use.  
    what? It's no longer useful - you just touch the screen to check status. The addition of haptic feedback eliminates that because if you feel it, you know there's a notification and if there's no sound, you know mute is on. 

    Haptic feedback and touch to wake/raise to wake didn't come until after his death. 


  • Reply 17 of 33
    mattinozmattinoz Posts: 2,518member
    CheeseFreeze said:
    Why would you re-design a clear tactical switch button for 'mute' as a push button that doesn't provide the same feedback? That seems like a step back.

    In general Apple has been prioritising design too much over usability/affordance. Luckily the latest generation of laptops fix some of that. But on the software side, even a button doesn't look like a button anymore, but an icon. We don't need skeuomorphism, but basic clues on what a UI element or hardware button is vastly prefered over
    We have focus states now which can overwrite the mute switch anyway and automatically switch based on context (sometimes). 
    Button would let you switch focus state directly as it's not tied to a particular binary state. 

    Assuming in the first instance touching the new button makes phone stop all current noise. 
  • Reply 18 of 33
    discountopiniondiscountopinion Posts: 108member
    I own the iPhone 14 pro Max and it is a master piece of a device. It could be even better if some physical buttons and connectors would be removed.

    Personally I would love to get rid of the physical mute button and lightning connector as I never use them. 

    Always wireless charge the phone and use the screen based icons for mute. 

    Soon we can hopefully also kill the sim tray.

    I prefer volume and power buttons to remain as they are unless the haptic feedback is so good for the mute buttons that I can’t tell the difference. Power button feels too risky to make software only.
  • Reply 19 of 33
    tpurdytpurdy Posts: 40member
    I don't really care about the switch since mine is always on silent... so if this is true it would be nice to assign anything to it (like apple watch ultra's action button). Short press, long press, double press, etc. could all do different things 
  • Reply 20 of 33
    CheeseFreezeCheeseFreeze Posts: 1,353member
    JP234 said:
    To anyone who's accidentally pushed a button on his phone, why does changing the mute switch to a button benefit the user. Seems like it was done just to benefit Apple. You're going to mute your phone without knowing you did it, you know you are, and wonder why you and Siri are no longer on speaking terms.
    Sounds like Apple is ready to serve up another generous helping of Courage™ this autumn. 
    williamlondon
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