The iPhone 15 Pro may have solid-state volume and power buttons
The iPhone 15 is still far away, but we have already heard numerous rumors about it. New to the stack is an analyst’s prediction that the Pro models will get solid-state, tactile buttons that don’t physically move and don’t stick to the phones body.
So say Barclays analysts Blayne Curtis and Tom O’Malley, based in part on comments from Cirrus Logic CEO John Forsyth (via MacRumors (opens in a new tab)). Cirrus Logic already provides some of the haptic technology that is present in current iPhones.
The company mentioned that the new components will hit the market in the second half of next year, which coincidentally is when Apple releases new iPhones and… well, you can see why people are connecting the dots.
Click or twist
These buttons use vibrations to simulate the sensation of being touched, even though they don’t actually move – see also the trackpads on newer MacBook models and the home buttons on the latest iPhone SEs.
This confirms a prediction we heard from renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in October. He also believes that the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max (if that’s what they’re actually called) will have no physical buttons, though apparently they’ll still be attached to the cheaper iPhone 15 models.
We will find out in September 2023. The use of solid-state buttons would improve water resistance and reduce the risk of mechanical failure, although of course you don’t get such a satisfying click (at least in our opinion).
Analysis: Pro becomes Pro-er
Over the past few years, we’ve seen Apple add more and more features to the Pro-level iPhones to make them more compelling options – and with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, they actually had a faster processor for the first time.
It looks like this trend will continue next year, which we’ve been hearing for some time. This pushes consumers towards more expensive models and means standard editions can be produced more cheaply.
Previous rumors have suggested we’re expecting a jump to 8GB of RAM for the iPhone 15 Pro next year, as well as a periscope camera. Of course, there will be a completely new processor, most likely the A17 Bionic (while the A16 goes to the standard iPhone 15).
There was also talk of an iPhone 15 Ultra that could replace the iPhone 14 Pro Max in next year’s lineup. This would further diversify the available models – and would undoubtedly be associated with a high price.
