Apple’s next iPhone lineup, the iPhone 16 series, may sport a distinctive design that incorporates capacitive buttons in place of physical ones, according to a recent report from Economic Daily News. This shift could mark a departure from the current iPhone models, which utilize mechanical buttons for power and volume control.
Capacitive buttons employ pressure-sensing technology and provide haptic feedback to simulate the movement of a physical button without actually moving. Apple has utilized capacitive buttons in the past with the Touch ID home button on the iPhone, including the current iPhone SE. This approach reduces the number of moving parts in the device.
The report indicates that the capacitive buttons would be present on both sides of the phone, with the volume controls on one side and potentially including the Action button. The opposite side of the iPhone currently houses only the Side Button, used for power control. The report remains unclear on whether Apple would implement the capacitive element on the Side Button or reserve it for a predicted new Capture button.
The report confidently states that the change would eliminate physical volume and power buttons on both sides of the device, replaced entirely by capacitive touch buttons. This move would align with the goal of removing physical buttons from the iPhone’s external body.
However, a detail in the report raises doubts regarding the timeframe: it suggests that the capacitive button components are expected to enter mass production in the third quarter, which begins on July 1. This timing seems unusually late for Apple’s typical development cycle, given that the iPhone is typically released in September. If this aspect of the report is accurate, it implies that the buttons may be intended for the iPhone 17 series rather than the iPhone 16.
It is worth noting that other iPhone 16 leaks have pointed towards the retention of mechanical buttons. Therefore, the accuracy of the component details in the report may not necessarily correspond to the timeline or applicability to the iPhone 16 series.
