What's going on with the iPhone 16 button layout? We previously heard that the 2024 models will get a new capture button and switch to a solid-state layout for all of their buttons, and now there's a new button tweak report to digest.
MacRumors claims to have seen iPhone 16 prototype designs that feature an Action button and volume buttons that are very similar to the setup implemented on the current iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
On its own, that wouldn't be particularly notable, but there have already been three previous prototype designs that feature different configurations of these buttons, which are located on the left side of the phone when you look at the screen.
In other words, it seems that Apple has once again abandoned its plans to implement something a little more innovative. We were also expecting solid-state (or capacitive) buttons on the iPhone 15 series, but they never appeared in the end.
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The capacitive buttons don't actually move, but vibrate very subtly to respond when pressed. Apple already uses them on the trackpads of its MacBook laptops and on the Home button of the iPhone SE launched in 2022.
You can go back and look at previous prototype rumors to see what these capacitive buttons would look like on the iPhone 16, and at one point a larger Action button was being considered along with a unified volume button.
The latest design, says MacRumors, shows separate volume buttons with an Action button that remains at the current size. A new capture button is still included, on the other side, and while it's not capacitive, it's said to be flush with the phone's frame.
Another thing that capacitive buttons could bring with them would be different responses depending on how hard they are pressed. However, at least for the moment, it seems that this technology will not appear on the iPhone 16.
