The well-informed rumor mill only recently taught us important details about the upcoming iPhone 15. The two Pro models are now said to do without “real” buttons entirely. But Apple’s new ways of operating go even further, as we now have to find out, and the Apple Watch Ultra serves as a model for this.
Let’s remind ourselves: On the iPhone 15 Pro (Max), the previous volume control buttons and the previous toggle switch for muting are replaced by so-called “solid state buttons”. these are sensory fieldsthat mimic the feel of real buttons and switches with built-in motors (called “Taptic Engines” by Apple).
Something like this already works today, as the technology is already being used for both the home button on the iPhone (currently only on the iPhone SE) and the trackpads on MacBooks.
iPhone 15 Pro (Max) gets action button à la Apple Watch Ultra
A new, relatively credible rumor goes a step further. Therefore the new “Mute Switch” acts as a customizable action button. This can then be assigned different functions (source: MacRumors).
How Apple wants to make various actions so operable has not yet been finally clarified, but it should be mentioned that the Apple Watch Ultra already has such an action button. So it would only be logical for Apple to transfer the idea to the iPhone sooner or later. One would be possible variety of stored functionsjust a few examples:
- Mute switch (as before)
- Do not disturb
- flashlight
- power saving mode
- Light/dark mode
- lock rotation
- Show home screen
The action button of the Apple Watch Ultra probably serves as a model:
If you don’t know, the iPhone already has a comparable but rather hidden function. That’s how it works Misuse the back of the Apple cell phone as a “button”. and assign all sorts of functions, each triggered by double or triple tapping on the back. If you want to try it out for yourself, you can find the necessary configuration in the settings under accessibility (menu item “Tap” and then at the very bottom “Tap on the back”).
What if the power goes out
And the rumor mill reveals another detail about the new “solid-state keys”. That’s how they should continue to function and be powered when the battery charge level would not normally allow it. This is made possible by a new ultra-low-energy microprocessor (source: MacRumors).
The technology probably works in a similar way to that in the iPhones. For example, an Apple cell phone can be located via “Find My” after it has actually already been switched off or when the battery has basically been “empty” for 24 hours.
We will find out in September at the latest whether the rumor mill is correct in both cases, when the presentation of the new iPhone 15 models is scheduled.
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