Recent reports have claimed that the iPhone 15 Pro series might abandon physical buttons in favor of “solid-state buttons,” which are essentially non-existent buttons. Apple had planned to use built-in Taptic Engines for the power and volume buttons, providing vibration feedback when users touched them. This move would have further enhanced the iPhone’s water resistance capabilities.
However, new information indicates that Apple has decided to stick with physical buttons after all. According to renowned analyst Guo Ming-Chi of TFI Securities, Apple has abandoned the idea of solid-state buttons due to technical issues. This change reportedly occurred during the Engineering Validation Test (EVT) phase of the device’s development.
The EVT phase is one of the most critical stages for Apple, as it encompasses the entire product design and manufacturing process, allowing the company to complete validation before moving into production. Guo Ming-Chi suggests that dropping the solid-state button concept should reduce manufacturing complexity and streamline development. Furthermore, the change during the EVT phase is expected to have a limited impact on the iPhone 15 Pro series’ mass production and shipping timeline.
Before Guo Ming-Chi’s report, Jeff Pu, an analyst at Haitong International Securities, released similar information stating that while the solid-state button plan continues to be considered, it won’t be implemented for the time being.
This development highlights Apple’s ongoing efforts to balance innovative design with efficient manufacturing processes while maintaining the high-quality user experience that its customers have come to expect.