December 01, 2023 – Apple’s Upcoming iPhone 16 Series to Feature Innovative Control Buttons
According to reports from the foreign technology media outlet MacRumors, Apple is set to introduce a significant change in its upcoming iPhone 16 series, with all four models featuring a new type of control button.
The report reveals that Apple’s internal development for these buttons began as early as 2021, and the company’s plan includes the simultaneous introduction of tactile volume and power buttons.
In the forthcoming iPhone 16 series, Apple is planning to transition from mechanical buttons to capacitive buttons for their controls, with the aim of providing enhanced functionality.
Internally referred to as project “Atlas,” Apple’s improved control buttons share characteristics similar to the Touch ID Home button on older iPhone models or the Force Touch trackpad found on more recent MacBooks.
Leaked internal documents indicate that these updated control buttons will be equipped with a “force sensor,” allowing for various interactions based on different pressure levels. However, the specific changes and functionalities have not been disclosed at this time.
The source also confirms that both the design and prototypes of the base model of the iPhone 16 will feature these innovative control buttons, indicating that they will become standard across the entire series next year.
Apple has also experimented with different sizes of these buttons, with some prototypes featuring larger buttons than the ones currently found on the iPhone 15 Pro, and some coming closer in size to the volume buttons.
Furthermore, it has been reported that even the iPhone SE 5 will adopt these “control” buttons, marking a complete departure from the traditional mute switch across the entire Apple iPhone product line.