All iPhone 16 Models to Have Action Button

Apple continues its tradition of distinguishing between non-pro and pro iPhone models. Last year, the iPhone 14 Pro introduced the Dynamic Island, a feature now carried over to the non-pro iPhone 15 this year. The latest iPhone 15 Pro variants also replaced the mute switch with a new action button, a change that didn’t extend to the non-pro models. A recent report hints at a shift, suggesting the action button will become standard on next year’s iPhone 16 series.

According to MacRumours, Apple plans to incorporate the action button across all four iPhone 16 models – standard, plus, pro, and pro max. Not only that, but the company is actively enhancing the button’s functionality, transitioning it from a mechanical switch to a capacitive one with force sensor feedback, akin to Touch ID on older iPhones and the Force Touch trackpad on MacBooks. This revamped action button is currently codenamed Atlas during development.

In an effort to offer more versatility, Apple is reportedly experimenting with different sizes of the action button for the iPhone 16, with some designs featuring larger buttons compared to the iPhone 15 Pro models. It’s worth noting that these details are based on pre-product information from internal documents, so the final implementation may vary.

The report also mentions the introduction of a new capacitive Capture button in the iPhone 16 lineup. Additionally, there are rumors that the fourth-generation iPhone SE will also adopt the action button, signaling the eventual phasing out of the mute switch in upcoming iPhone models. Apple seems poised to bring about significant changes to the user interface and functionality in its next iPhone iterations.