New iPhone to Gain Buttons – Will Tactile Hardware Come Back in Fashion?
When the iPhone 16 came out, there was a lot of excitement surrounding the addition of an extra button. Unlike its predecessors, the phone came with a button called “camera control”, which allows users to activate and operate the iPhone’s camera app immediately.
This came after Apple added the “action button” to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, a programmable shortcut button that allowed users to jump straight to a customizable location.
Every year, it seems the iPhone is bringing back more and more tactile hardware. Are buttons as a concept coming back into fashion?
The Appeal of the Action Button
Around the world, more people than ever are appreciating the human touch, looking for older, vintage technology in stores, and this is often characterized by tactile hardware that requires hands-on interaction.
The action button sought to appease this desire. Instead of interacting with an impersonal interface, users could click the button and be brought immediately to a page or app of their choice. This evoked nostalgia and offered a tangible connection to the past while enhancing convenience and accessibility for users.
Sticking with Canada, nearly 60% of all smartphone owners use their phones to play games. With convenience being a big part of gaming – especially in the iGaming industry – it suddenly became possible for these users to be just a click away from their favourite Canadian jackpot slots, a live casino poker game or their preferred mobile gaming apps.
The action button also gives users a way to jump quickly to their camera, the voice memo app, their emails, or a number of other personalized spaces. It’s a button designed with the tactile user experience in mind.
iPhone 17 Button Rumours
We chose to focus on the action button because it is a prime example of how tactile hardware can – and should – become more popular. Not only is this button helpful to users, but it also feels more engaging and intuitive, offering a satisfying physical connection that many modern devices lack.
This has been a hit with users, with many stating that it enhances the experience by merging nostalgia with functionality. Moving forward, it appears that Apple will keep running with this concept, creating a single, flexible button that will do whatever the user commands.
According to multiple reports, this new button will consolidate the functionalities of the traditional volume and action buttons, creating a single, dedicated hardware space for all of the user's needs. With a 2nm chipset rumoured to power the new models, it promises enhanced efficiency and strong performance, which is especially important considering new AI-driven applications.
Tactile Hardware Coming Back into Fashion
With this in mind, it’s clear that Apple has recognized people’s fondness for tactile hardware and is attempting to incorporate it into their modern smartphones in a smart, clutter-free way. It’s important to note, of course, that not every user enjoys pressing buttons.
There have been mixed reactions regarding the new camera button, with some praising the button for its convenience, while others have criticized its placement and usability. With just a single, dedicated button, Apple is looking to silence the naysayers and cater to all of those users who want to feel and interact with their phones while keeping the overall aesthetic and usability intact.
Whether this will actually happen remains to be seen. We know that every new iPhone model has a cleaner interface, with faster-running apps and better battery life. However, there are always rumours regarding new iPhone releases, and with the iPhone 17 launch just under a year away, it’s hard to say which ones are true and which are leading us astray.
More Technology Articles
