With 2024 in full flow, information surrounding the next iPhone has started to ramp up, and a new prototype points towards the iPhone 16 Pro sticking with a similarly designed Action button to this year’s 15 Pro model.
According to MacRumors, Apple has been testing multiple Action button designs for the next generation of iPhone, with previous reports hinting at a slight design change. The latest prototype, which is in the “Proto2” development stage, shows the Action button exactly as we know it.
Throughout the iPhone 16 Pro development stages, there have been multiple different configurations, including those with a new Capture button for quick photography. From a unified volume button with the same Action button we see on the 15 Pro today, to a larger Action button alongside separate volume buttons and a Capture button, it seems like Apple isn’t quite sure how to proceed with the next iPhone’s design.
As of now, however, it looks like the Action button is going to remain small like its predecessor, alongside separate volume buttons and the brand-new Capture button. There had been reports that Apple planned to add a capacitive Action button to the upcoming iPhones, but if this “Proto2” prototype is anything to go by, we’re not likely to see that any time soon.
Oh yeah… the Action button
When I purchased my iPhone 15 Pro in September, I loved testing different Shortcuts and functions of the Action button — it was really cool to have a new addition to the iPhone chassis. Now, six months later, I can’t remember the last time I actually pressed the tiny button that sits above my volume rockers. I’d even go as far as to say that you could remove it from my iPhone altogether, and I wouldn’t even notice.
Hopefully, the iPhone 16 Pro and iOS 18 bring added functionality to the Action button, and I can finally find that must-have use case that I’ve been searching for since unboxing my 15 Pro back in September. Until then, whether the action button is redesigned or not, I’m not too bothered.
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