Apple could remove the power and volume rocker buttons and replace them with taptic buttons
Apple may not be the first company to implement new features, but what it does better than its competitors is implemented industry-first actions such as removing the 3.5mm headphone jack, removing the power adapter from the in-box contents, and now, it is ready to completely remove physical buttons from the upcoming “high-end” iPhone 15 Pro models. Apple isn’t always the first company to add new features, but it is better than its competitors at doing things like taking the power adapter out of the in
According to the well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple may get rid of the power and volume rocker buttons and replace them with “taptic buttons.” This is something that we have previously seen, starting with the iPhone 7 series, when Apple got rid of the home button in favor of a solid, immobile button that used the Taptic Engine to use haptics for click emulation. This is something that we have previously seen, starting with the iPhone 7 series.
Kuo says that the “solid-state button design” might work if “Taptic Engines” are put on the left and right sides of the inside to provide force feedback.
At the moment, Apple equips each iPhone with one Taptic Engine, which is responsible for haptics and vibration. But since solid-state buttons are being used, it is possible that future versions of the iPhone 15 Pro will have three Taptic Engines.
Kuo noted that “the existing Taptic Engine suppliers, Luxshare ICT (1st supplier) and AAC Technologies (2nd supplier), will be significant beneficiaries.” Moreover, it is believed that Android OEMs could soon follow suit in Apple’s footsteps to “create new selling points.”