Kuo: iPhone 15 Pro Models Will No Longer Feature Solid-State Buttons
The next-generation iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will no longer feature solid-state buttons due to "unresolved technical issues before mass production," according to the latest information shared by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Kuo said iPhone 15 Pro models would be equipped with solid-state buttons back in October. He said two additional Taptic Engines inside the iPhone would provide haptic feedback to simulate the feeling of pressing the buttons, without them physically moving, similar to the Home button on the iPhone 7 or the Force Touch trackpad on newer MacBooks. However, in a Medium post today, he said the devices will have mechanical buttons after all.
"My latest survey indicates that due to unresolved technical issues before mass production, both high-end iPhone 15 Pro models (Pro & Pro Max) will abandon the closely-watched solid-state button design and revert to the traditional physical button design," wrote Kuo. It's unclear if a "traditional" design means there will be two volume buttons or if Apple will still adopt a single, elongated volume button, as was previously rumored.
Kuo said there is still time for Apple to modify the iPhone 15 Pro's design given the device remains in the EVT development stage. He believes the change will have "limited impact" on the mass production schedule and shipments for the Pro models.
The reversal was also reported by tech analysts Jeff Pu and Shelly Chou at Hong Kong-based investment firm Haitong International Securities. The analysts believe the solid-state button design has been delayed until the iPhone 16 series in 2024.
Kuo said this news is "unfavorable" for Cirrus Logic and AAC Technologies, two key suppliers of Taptic Engine-related components for iPhones.
Popular Stories
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so it is now three over and a half years old. While the AirTag has not received any hardware updates since then, a new version of the item tracking accessory is rumored to be in development.
Below, we recap rumors about a second-generation AirTag.
Timing
Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman....
While the Logitech MX Master 3 is a terrific mouse for the Mac, reports claiming that Apple CEO Tim Cook prefers that mouse over the Magic Mouse are false.
The Wall Street Journal last month published an interview with Cook, in which he said he uses every Apple product every day. Soon after, The Verge's Wes Davis attempted to replicate using every Apple product in a single day. During that...
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence.
Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476
The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
In a research note with Hong Kong-based investment bank Haitong today, obtained by MacRumors, Apple analyst Jeff Pu said he agrees with a recent rumor claiming that the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" will be around 6mm thick.
"We agreed with the recent chatter of an 6mm thickness ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Slim model," he wrote.
If that measurement proves to be accurate, there would be ...
The iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 updates that Apple released today address JavaScriptCore and WebKit vulnerabilities that Apple says have been actively exploited on some devices.
With the JavaScriptCore vulnerability, processing maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. The WebKit vulnerability had the same issue with maliciously crafted...
