MacRumors

It's been a crazy few weeks of flip-flopping rumors, and while some of them will be resolved in a couple of months at WWDC, we may have to wait until September or beyond for the full picture to emerge on others.

This week saw back-and-forth reports about the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max volume buttons and mute switch/button. as well as the fate of a fourth-generation iPhone SE, plus we got some fresh rumors about what we might see with iOS 17 later this year. It also looks like Apple is gearing up for the launch of its Apple Card-linked Savings account as soon as this Monday, so read on for all the details on these stories and more!

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 as previously rumored, according to well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Apple's change in plans was also noted by analyst Jeff Pu, who believes the solid-state buttons have been delayed until the iPhone 16 Pro next year. As a result, Pu no longer expects iPhone 15 Pro models to be equipped with two additional Taptic Engines that would have provided haptic feedback when the solid-state buttons were pressed.

iPhone 15 Pro Now Expected to Feature Two Volume Buttons and Mute Switch Replaced With Button

What a whirlwind of a week for iPhone 15 Pro rumors. The latest information suggests that the device will still be equipped with two volume buttons like existing models, but the longstanding Ring/Silent switch is expected to be replaced with a button.

While a unified volume button is no longer expected for the iPhone 15 Pro, we shared exclusive renders of what the design would have looked like. It's possible that Apple will move forward with this design with the iPhone 16 Pro next year.

iOS 17 Rumored to Improve Search, Dynamic Island, Control Center, and More

Ahead of Apple unveiling iOS 17 at WWDC in June, an anonymous source who shared accurate information in the past has revealed potential new features coming with the update, including improvements to Search, the Dynamic Island, Control Center, and more.

The source also claimed that Apple is internally testing interactive Home Screen widgets on iOS 17, but they are unsure if this feature will make the final cut.

Production of 15-Inch MacBook Air Components Underway, WWDC Launch Looking Likely

Display panel production for a larger-screened 15.5-inch MacBook Air has been ramping up since February, according to analyst Ross Young. He says he doesn't know the "precise launch timing" and assumes it could happen in "late April/early May," but a debut at WWDC in early June is perhaps more likely to give Apple an opportunity to show it off on stage.

Design wise, the larger ‌MacBook Air‌ is expected to feature essentially the same design as the current 13.6-inch model and it appears it will use a similar M2-like chip rather than a next-generation M3 chip.

Apple Card Savings Account Likely Launching Next Week

Apple Card Savings will likely be available starting Monday, April 17, according to backend code on Apple's servers uncovered by @aaronp613. The code also suggests that an iPhone with iOS 16.3 or later will be required to use the feature.

The feature will let Apple Card users open a high-yield savings account from Goldman Sachs in the Wallet app and start earning interest on their Daily Cash balance.

iPhone SE 4: Here's What the Latest Rumors Say

Rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE have been circulating since just months after the current model launched in 2022. In an article this week, we recapped the latest rumors about the next iPhone SE, including possible features and release timing.

The current iPhone SE features a 4.7-inch display, a 12-megapixel rear camera, 5G, and the A15 Bionic chip. It is the last new iPhone model with Touch ID sold by Apple.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

With less than two months to go until the Worldwide Developers Conference, rumors about Apple's next-generation version of iOS have been picking up. iOS 17 isn't expected to have a major headline feature like iOS 16's Lock Screen, but there are some notable refinements in the works.

In fact, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who often provides reliable details on Apple's plans, says that iOS 17 will include "several of users' most requested features," which sounds very enticing. We've since heard hints of what might be coming from a MacRumors forum source that's been reliable in the past, so we thought we'd highlight some of the additions that we might see.

Control Center Revamp

We've had a dedicated Control Center since iOS 7, but it hasn't seen notable updates since iOS 11. That could change in iOS 17, with Apple rumored to be planning to overhaul the Control Center.

The Control Center could get a new look, and it could be more customizable, with users able to select what's shown with more granularity and pick where controls are located for a streamlined interface that's tailored to each person's needs.

More Dynamic Island Functionality

Apple introduced the Dynamic Island with the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, and with this year's iPhone 15 lineup, all models are expected to feature the Dynamic Island instead of the notch.

Right now, the ‌Dynamic Island‌ can display timers, sports scores, incoming phone calls, low battery alerts, Apple Pay confirmations, charging status, Maps directions, and more, but it is still limited in what it can do, especially for third-party apps.

While we don't have a lot of detail, Apple is allegedly planning to add more functionality to the ‌Dynamic Island‌ to make it more useful. Siri, for example, might transition to the ‌Dynamic Island‌. When you activate ‌Siri‌, the ‌Siri‌ icon could be displayed in the ‌Dynamic Island‌ rather than at the bottom of the screen, which would make ‌Siri‌ less obtrusive.

Much Needed Performance Improvements

Before there were a range of quality of life features planned for iOS 17, Gurman claimed that it would be a "tuneup" update focused on fixing bugs and improving performance. Apple still seems to be focused on boosting performance, efficiency, and stability.

Apple is said to be focusing on long-term support for older devices, which suggests that work is being done on making iOS 17 a bug-free update even on iPhones that don't have the latest hardware.

Active Widgets

Apple is "testing" an active widget experience for the Home Screen and Today View on the iPhone, but this apparently isn't a feature that's a sure thing for iOS 17.

Active widgets would be widgets that are more interactive, doing more than simply displaying information or letting you tap into an app. Active widgets could include one-tap buttons, sliders, and more, making widgets more dynamic.

Better Search

New versions of iOS often come with improvements to Search and Spotlight, and it sounds like iOS 17 will be no exception. There's been a lot of attention on ChatGPT and other chatbot experiences that use AI trained on web content, but we're not expecting anything quite that advanced from Apple.

Rumors about improved search have not been specific, but in the past, Apple has worked to streamline search results, locate text in photos and videos, and allow users to search for specific subjects in images. Improvements to all of these features could be coming, along with new search capabilities.

One area that's in dire need of improvement is Apple's in-app search, like the search function for the Settings app. The Settings app often does not provide reliable results for the setting that's being sought, so hopefully this will be under the search improvement umbrella.

Alternate App Stores

European regulations will soon require Apple to support sideloading and alternate app stores, giving customers in Europe a way to access apps outside of the App Store.

Apple is working on including this functionality in iOS 17, but unfortunately, it's only expected to be available for customers living in the European Union. If laws in other countries change, these capabilities could eventually expand, so it will be interesting to see how Apple ultimately handles sideloading.

We can expect Apple to have security checks for sideloaded apps similar to the Mac Gatekeeper function that prevents non-trusted software from being installed, and it's not going to be a way for developers to skirt fees. Apple still plans to charge developers for access to iOS, though the fees may be lower than the 15 to 30 percent that Apple collects now.

Apple has until March 2024 to comply with the new European laws, so while sideloading does not have to be in the first versions of iOS 17 that go out to the public, it does have to be implemented at some point during the iOS 17 development period.

A New CarPlay Experience

At WWDC 2022, Apple showed off a next-generation version of CarPlay that's expected to be implemented in 2023. It includes support for multiple displays in a vehicle, so the CarPlay experience can be implemented on the infotainment system, instrument cluster, and more.

Instrument cluster integration is a new feature that will give ‌CarPlay‌ more control over the vehicle's functions, and it will integrate with the speedometer, odometer, fuel gage, and more. Vehicle climate controls will be accessible directly through ‌CarPlay‌ so you won't have to exit out of the ‌CarPlay‌ system to adjust the heat or the AC, and Apple is also planning to add a series of useful widgets that will display information like trip duration, fuel economy, weather, HomeKit devices, and other details that you might want to have while driving.

Read More

There are even more features rumored for iOS 17, including changes to the always-on display, support for the upcoming AR/VR headset, Health app refinements, and additional Focus Mode filters. We keep track of all of the rumored changes to iOS 17 in our dedicated iOS 17 roundup, so it's worth bookmarking and checking in every now and then to see the latest.

Release Date

Apple will provide iOS 17 to developers after the WWDC keynote event on June 5, and that will give us the first look at the new features. Public beta testers will likely get access a month or so later in July, and then the software will launch in September alongside new ‌iPhone‌ models.

Following the launch of iOS 16.4.1 on April 7, Apple has stopped signing iOS 16.4, the previously available version of iOS. With iOS 16.4 no longer being signed, it is not possible to downgrade to that version of iOS after installing the iOS 16.4.1 update.

Apple routinely stops signing older versions of iOS after new releases come out to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date, so it is not unusual that the iOS 16.4 update is no longer being signed.

iOS 16.4 was a major update that added new emoji characters, Safari Web Push Notifications, and changes to the beta opt-in method. It also reintroduced the classic Apple Books page turning animation, included new HomeKit architecture, and introduced new features for Shortcuts.

iOS 16.4.1, a bug fix update, is the current publicly available version of iOS. Apple is also testing iOS 16.5 with developers and public beta testers.

Apple's rumored multi-view sports feature will be available for tonight's MLB Friday Night Baseball games, and tomorrow's MLS Season Pass matches, according to Tom's Guide. The feature requires an Apple TV 4K running the tvOS 16.5 beta.

An expansion of the existing Picture-in-Picture split-screen mode, the new multi-view feature allows Apple TV users to stream up to four sports games simultaneously with a four-quadrant screen layout. The report says users can control which game's volume they want to hear by selecting it with the Siri Remote. To enable the feature, users will select the grid icon above the timeline bar, followed by a "More Matches" button.

The existence of the multi-view option was first discovered by Steve Moser last month, but it remained hidden in code. The feature is only available for sports games streamed by Apple through its TV app, meaning it is limited to MLB and the MLS for now. Apple has yet to officially announce when the multi-view feature will be available to the public, but tvOS 16.5 will likely be released within the next month or so.

While the 13-inch MacBook Pro has an outdated design from 2016, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today reported that the laptop will remain part of Apple's lineup, with an updated model said to be in the works alongside other new Macs.

The report does not offer any additional details about the next 13-inch MacBook Pro, so it remains to be seen if the laptop will receive any external design changes, or if it will remain the last new Mac that Apple sells with the Touch Bar. Apple last updated the machine at WWDC last June with the M2 chip and support for high-impedance headphones.

A previous report indicated that the next 13-inch MacBook Pro will be powered by Apple's M3 chip, which the company has yet to announce. It's unclear when the laptop would launch, but a release later this year is likely at this point.

Gurman said Apple is also working on a larger 15-inch MacBook Air with a processor equivalent to the M2 chip, an updated 13-inch MacBook Air, a new 24-inch iMac, and a Mac Pro tower powered by Apple silicon. Last, he expects updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M3 Pro and M3 Max chips to be released in the first half of 2024.

An unreleased 15-inch MacBook Air with a processor "on par" with the M2 chip has been spotted in App Store developer logs, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The long-rumored laptop will likely be released by WWDC in June.

The report indicates that the chip in the new MacBook Air configuration spotted in the logs has an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU, just like the M2 chip, along with 8GB of RAM. The laptop has the model identifier "Mac 15,3" and is listed as running macOS 14, which is expected to be announced at WWDC alongside iOS 17 and other updates. The new Air is also listed with a display resolution equal to that of the 14-inch MacBook Pro.

There have been conflicting reports about which chip the 15-inch MacBook Air will use, but the developer logs and Gurman saying the M3 chip is "coming later" suggest that the initial 15-inch model will be powered by the M2 chip, like the 13-inch model.

A larger MacBook Air was first rumored in 2021, with production of 15-inch display panels reportedly ramping up in recent months. It's unclear exactly when the laptop would be released, but it will likely be announced by WWDC, which begins June 5. Apple announced the 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip at WWDC last year.

Apple is also working on an updated 13-inch MacBook Air, according to Gurman.

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss some of the top features and changes we would like to see in the next major update to macOS.

Apple is expected to unveil macOS 14 at WWDC in June this year, but little is known about what enhancements and new features the company will debut with the update. Last year, macOS Ventura introduced Stage Manager, Continuity Camera, FaceTime Handoff, undo send and improved search in Mail, the Weather and Clock app on the Mac for the first time, Shared Tab groups in Safari, and more. We talk through some of the areas where we feel Apple could bring useful changes to the Mac this year, with particular attention to Safari, Mail, Apple Music, notifications, widgets, app organization, and Spotlight.

We also discuss some of the latest news and rumors, including the apparent delay of Apple's 27-inch monitor with mini-LED and ProMotion, scrapping of the iPhone 15 Pro's solid state buttons, likely launch of the 15-inch MacBook Air at WWDC, and alleged iOS 17 feature leaks.

Listen to The MacRumors Show in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, Google Podcasts, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. Watch a video version of the show on the MacRumors YouTube channel.

If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion about the design of Apple's upcoming mixed-reality headset with professional product designer Marcus Kane.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for more episodes, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by exciting guests like Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Andru Edwards, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, Quinn Nelson, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Sara Dietschy, Luke Miani, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, iJustine, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, Jon Rettinger, Rene Ritchie, and Mark Gurman. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the show, and let us know what subjects you would like the podcast to cover in the future.

Amazon today has the Beats Studio Buds in six colors for $99.95, down from $149.95. This is a match of the all-time low price on the earbuds, and Amazon is estimating an April 16-20 delivery date for most colors.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

We haven't tracked a record low price on the Beats Studio Buds since earlier in 2023, so Amazon's deal is a good opportunity for those who have been waiting for a discount on the AirPods alternatives. Colors on sale include Black, Pink, Red, White, Moon Gray, and Ocean Blue.

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories

For this week's giveaway, we're teaming up with ColorWare to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a set of custom-painted third-generation AirPods or second-generation AirPods Pro. All of ColorWare's products come in hundreds of unique color combinations.

For those unfamiliar with ColorWare, it is a customization company that has been offering custom painted Apple products and accessories for many years now. ColorWare offers up unique painting options for the AirPods, ‌AirPods Pro‌, AirPods Max, AirTag, and Magic Mouse, plus it also provides custom painting for Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony devices, including consoles and controllers.

Custom-colored third-generation AirPods can be purchased from ColorWare for $329, which includes custom painting for both the AirPods and the accompanying MagSafe case. Custom AirPods Pro 2 can be purchased from ColorWare for $389. There's definitely a premium for ordering from ColorWare, but since Apple only makes AirPods and ‌AirPods Pro‌ in white, going through ColorWare is the only way to get AirPods in black, red, blue, pink, or dozens of other colors.

ColorWare offers both solid and metallic paint options, with gloss and matte finishes depending on your preference. You can get the traditional gray, gold, or silver colors to match Apple's devices, but there are also colors in every shade of the rainbow. If you want AirPods or ‌AirPods Pro‌ in yellow, orange, teal, green, deep purple, blue, pink, or one of dozens of other colors, ColorWare is your best bet.

Each AirPod can be custom painted in the same color as the case or you can order the case and the earbuds all in different colors, so there are many color combinations to choose from.

ColorWare also has some fun special edition options like the "CowPods" with a black and white cow-patterned case accompanied by ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 painted either pink or black. There's also a "Supernova" color option that features a glittery, prismatic effect in an array of rainbow colors.

In business since 1998, ColorWare has perfected its painting process. The company uses a multi-step coating sequence that includes a primer, the application of a proprietary color formula, and an X2 liquid plastic coating that protects the color. The custom painting is guaranteed for 12 months or 24 months with the purchase of an additional warranty.

ColorWare uses standard third-generation AirPods and second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌ from Apple and paints them, which leaves the full AirPods functionality intact.

We have two sets of custom-painted AirPods to give away, with each winner able to choose AirPods model and the the color and finish of their choice. To enter to win, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

The contest will run from today (April 14) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on April 21. The winners will be chosen randomly on April 21 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.

Microsoft last year said it would be ending support for SwiftKey on iPhone, then only weeks later it backtracked and asked users to "stay tuned" for the arrival of new features. The company has now lived up to its promise with a fresh update that, perhaps unsurprisingly, integrates its ubiquitous Bing AI chatbot into the predictive keyboard app.

There are three components to SwiftKey's new Bing integration: Search, Chat, and Tone. As the names of the first two functions suggest, users can now search the web without leaving the app and chat with Bing to ask additional queries and questions. Microsoft says the features can be used when you're talking to a friend and want to look something up mid-conversation, for example.

The third function, Tone, is more clever. It's designed to make it easier for users to communicate more effectively by allowing Bing to act as editor and reword text to fit a desired tone.

As Microsoft describes it, "Whether you struggle to be formal in your work emails, or you're learning a new language and want help with the nuances of word choice, the Tone feature has got you covered, with tones to make your words sound more professional, casual, polite, or concise enough for a social post."

After updating SwiftKey, users will see a Bing icon above the keyboard, and tapping it brings up the three new features. Anyone can use the Search function, but accessing Tone and Chat requires users to sign into their Microsoft Account, which needs to have been approved to access the new Bing preview.

Apple has started testing iOS 16.6 internally, according to our website's analytics logs, which have proven to be a reliable indicator of upcoming software updates. iOS 16.6 will likely be one of the last updates in the iOS 16 software cycle.

It's still too early to know when the first beta of iOS 16.6 will be released, but the first betas of iOS 13.6, iOS 14.6, and iOS 15.6 were all made available to developers prior to WWDC over the last three years. WWDC is scheduled for June 5 through June 9 this year and is where Apple will announce iOS 17 and other new software.

iOS 16.6 will likely be a smaller update given that iOS 17 is on the horizon. With the Apple Card's savings account expected to launch next week, iMessage Contact Key Verification will be one of the only previously-announced iOS features that has yet to launch, but it is unclear exactly when the optional security setting will launch.

In the meantime, iOS 16.5 remains in beta testing. So far, only two notable changes have been discovered in the update, including the addition of a Sports tab in the Apple News app and the ability to start a screen recording with Siri.

Apple has decided to make a last minute design update to the iPhone 15 Pro and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max, and the two devices will not feature the unified volume button that has been rumored for the last several weeks, according to Unknownz21. Instead, the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models will have a two-button design for the volume module, which will look similar to the two-button design on the iPhone 14 Pro models.

While Apple is planning to revert back to two buttons instead of the planned unified volume button, there will still be a change to the mute switch. Rather than a switch, Apple will use a physical button. Internally, this button has been referred to as the "ringer button" or the "action button," and rumors have suggested that it could be a customizable button that is similar to the Apple Watch Ultra Action button.

Up until earlier this week, Apple was still working on a unified, solid-state volume button that offered haptic feedback rather than a physical button mechanism. Apple abandoned the solid-state button design on Tuesday, and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says the change was due to "unresolved technical issues."

At the time, Kuo said that Apple would revert back to a "traditional physical button design," but it was not clear if Apple would continue to use the unified button that it had designed or if the company would swap back to a two-button design. Unknownz21's sources today learned that Apple will opt to revert to two buttons, delaying the unified button design until the iPhone 16 Pro.

Earlier today, MacRumors shared renders of what the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models would have looked like with the unified volume button design. This is the design that Apple planned on using for most of the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro development period, and it is just this week that the change was made to shift back to the old design.

Unfortunately, we were working on these renders before we got the news about the solid-state button change, and we did not hear about Apple's revised plans for the buttons until after the renders were published. The renders we shared are now representative of the solid-state button design that Apple planned to use for the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro, which will not be the final design.

The renders offer a look at what the design might have been had Apple stuck with solid-state technology, and they feature the button design that Apple is likely to adopt for the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ models. Though delayed for now, Apple is continuing to work on haptic buttons, and the company is expected to implement the technology in next year's Pro iPhone models.

Apple will use standard mechanical buttons for both the ‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models, but as mentioned before, the mute button that is in the renders remains accurate. Apple is expected to use a mute button instead of a mute switch for the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro lineup. These design changes are able to be made because the devices are still in the Engineering Validation Test stage and have not reached final production.

Apple did create some ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models that have solid-state buttons and the volume button design that we shared, and these will be used internally for testing to ensure the technology is ready for the iPhone 16 lineup.

Renders, case makers' dummies, CADs, and other leaked information that has depicted a unified volume button is now out of date due to Apple's late design shift. Late stage design changes are unusual for Apple, but do happen when there are issues with a feature that can't be worked out in time for launch.

The AirPower, for example, was nixed entirely after Apple could not get it to work as intended. Back in 2011, there were widespread rumors of a teardrop design for the ‌iPhone‌ 5 that did not pan out after Apple went with a different design, and with the third-generation iPod touch, Apple added a camera during the design stages and then removed it from the final product.

There are a number of new features still rumored for the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models, such as a titanium frame, a faster A17 chip, periscope lens technology (‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max only), thinner display bezels, and a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port.

Google today shared details on several optimizations that have been added to the Chrome browser on the Mac, which have made the browser "faster than ever" on Apple's Speedometer browser benchmark.

Google says that with the latest release of Chrome, the company went "deep under the hood" to find new opportunities to increase speed and efficiency. Google implemented improved HTML parsing for select CSS and JavaScript functions, and added more efficient pointer compression.

Optimizations were made to how pointers are compressed and decompressed, with Google avoiding compressing high-traffic fields. With the frequency of those operations, there was a notable impact on performance. Frequently accessed objects like JavaScript's "undefined" were also moved to the beginning of memory bases, which allows them to be accessed using faster machine code.

These changes have improved Chrome's speed on Apple's Speedometer 2.1 browser benchmark by 10 percent over the last three months. Google Chrome for Mac can be downloaded from the Google website.

Update: Newly obtained information confirms that Apple plans to revert to a two-button design for the iPhone 15 Pro models, rather than using the single unified volume button. The unified volume button was a design planned for the solid-state technology, and Apple is opting to use the older design now that solid-state buttons have been delayed.

Though Apple is using the prior two-button design for volume, the company still plans to replace the mute switch with a new mute button. The mute button could potentially be customizable, working similarly to the Action button on the Apple Watch Ultra.

The renders in this article represent the design that Apple planned to use prior to opting to eliminate solid-state buttons, featuring the design that Apple planned for during much of the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro development process. This is likely the design that Apple will use for the iPhone 16 Pro models, which are now expected to include the solid-state button technology instead of the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models.

The original article is below.

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With recent rumors indicating a last-minute change to the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro's feature set, what's in store for the device's volume buttons remains to be seen. We've heard multiple rumors that the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models are set to adopt a new volume button and mute switch design, but emerging rumors about Apple's abandonment of solid-state button technology throw the design rumors into chaos.

As of right now, there is no indication that Apple will change its plans for a single, elongated volume button and a mute button instead of a mute switch, and we have an accurate look at what the buttons will look like provided there are no radical design shifts in store. Leaker Unknownz21 worked with MacRumors to share the actual design of the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro's volume and mute buttons, which haven't been seen before now.

We used ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro information sourced from Unknownz21 to create images that depict the design of the volume, mute, and power buttons, including a view of the internal components. Note that these renders were created before the most recent solid-state rumors, there could be changes to the internal layout, but there is a good chance the external design will remain the same. In fact, Unknown21 has confirmed that the solid-state button design was still in development until very, very recently, and there is a chance that it hasn't been canceled at all.

Leaks to date have gotten the single volume rocker rumor right, but the design that Apple developed includes a split in the middle to designate the volume up and volume down sections of the button. With the middle split, the design looks similar to two separate buttons, but it is a notable departure from the current button design in which the volume up and volume down buttons are distinct.

Apple has not used this kind of unified button design since the iPhone 3GS in 2009, as the company swapped to two separate round volume up and down buttons with the ‌iPhone‌ 4, and ultimately transitioned to dual elongated buttons with the 2014 launch of the ‌iPhone‌ 6. It is worth highlighting that the single button design the middle separation has been in place since the early ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro development period.

Apple initially planned to introduce the single volume button design alongside solid-state technology, but reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes solid-state buttons have been abandoned. There were "unresolved technical issues" that Apple was unable to address before mass production, so solid-state buttons will be delayed and ultimately introduced with a later version of the iPhone.

Solid-state technology is what Apple uses for the Mac's trackpad and the Home button on Touch ID iPhones. With this feature, the volume button on the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and Pro Max would not have physically depressed, instead using haptic feedback to mimic the feel of a press. With haptic buttons delayed, Apple could instead use the single button design with standard physical buttons.

In his Medium post, Kuo said the buttons will have a "traditional physical button design," but he did not provide context on whether Apple would stick with the single volume button design change or revert to the same two button design that was used for the iPhone 14 models. There is now some added mystery surrounding what kind of volume button design we'll get for the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and 15 Pro Max, and there are arguments both for keeping the single button design and for reverting to the prior design. Unknownz21 believes that Apple will make minimal changes to the buttons at this point, and that while there could be added separation between the buttons, the design will not be the same as the ‌iPhone 14‌ button design.

Given that there are other internal changes planned for the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and Pro Max to accommodate new camera technology (specifically in the case of the periscope lens for the Pro Max), it may not be easy for Apple to go back to the original volume button design. Additionally, there were rumors that Apple planned to replace the mute switch with a mute button, and that the button could serve as a multi-use Action button similar to the Action button on the Apple Watch Ultra.

The Apple Watch Ultra Action button and the Side button on all Apple Watch models use physical button technology. They are not haptic or solid-state, so a case can be made that what works for the watch will work for the ‌iPhone‌. Apple can retain the single volume button and the "Action" button even without a shift to haptic technology. Apple has been referring to the button as the "ringer button" or "action button" internally, which does indeed seem to suggest there could be a multi-function customizable button.

We have a detailed look at the module (codenamed "Bongo") that Apple designed for the volume button, mute button, and power button, created with information about the internal layout. While the renders still give a look at the potential external design that Apple will go with, it is likely that there are going to be internal changes to this design. Apple initially intended to add two additional Taptic Engines to the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models to power the haptic buttons, but those will no longer be needed.

Unless Apple has last minute plans to abandon the mute switch to button transition and the elongated volume button in favor of the prior design, what we are sharing here today is a true-to-life depiction of what the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and Pro Max will look like. It is the most complete picture of the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro to date, and it is the design that Apple has conceptualized since the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro was in early design stages.

While the loss of solid-state button technology is a major disappointment for those who were looking forward to it, Apple has other notable design changes that are coming to the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models. The device chassis will be made from titanium, which is the same material that Apple uses for the Apple Watch Ultra. Like the frame, the buttons will be made from titanium as well.

Titanium is stronger than aluminum and lighter weight than stainless steel, the material that Apple used for the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro. We are expecting a weight reduction for the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro compared to the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro just based on material update, but final weight will be dependent on the alloy that Apple uses and the internal layout changes.

Titanium has more of a brushed, matte finish than stainless steel, and the more subdued texture will be more resistant to fingerprints. Apple has also tested a shiny mirror finish for the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro frame, so there is a small chance that both shiny and matte options could be offered for some of the models. As titanium is stronger than stainless steel, the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro's frame could be more resistant to dents, dings, and bending, but it may be easier to scratch because the oxide layer is easily damaged.

In addition to a titanium frame, the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and Pro Max will also have a design that slims down the bezels and deepens the curve at the corners of the device, so while it will look similar to the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro, it will be distinct. The bezels are notably smaller and will increase the available display area somewhat, but no changes are expected for the Dynamic Island.

Other ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro features include TSMC's 3-nanometer A17 chip, a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port, a periscope camera lens for the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max with expanded optical zoom, faster 5G, and Wi-Fi 6E.

Note that many new additions, including the planned unified volume button, the mute button, and the titanium frame, will be limited to the higher-end ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max and will not be available with the standard ‌iPhone 15‌ models.

For more on the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and Pro Max, we have a dedicated iPhone 15 Pro roundup that aggregates everything we've heard so far, and we also have a separate iPhone 15 roundup that gives a better idea of the differences between the Pro and non-Pro models.

Spotify today announced that it now offers a Lock Screen widget on the iPhone, allowing users to quickly access the app with a single tap. The widget is available with the latest version of the Spotify app released on the App Store earlier today.

Lock Screen widgets require iOS 16 or later. To add a widget, tap and hold the Lock Screen, tap on the Customize button, tap on the Lock Screen, tap on Add Widgets, select Spotify from the list that appears, and tap on the widget. For emphasis, the Spotify widget will only appear in the list if the app has been updated to the latest version.

While a Lock Screen widget is nice, Spotify has still yet to implement native support for the HomePod, meaning that Spotify cannot be fully controlled with Siri on the speaker like Apple Music can be. Spotify also lacks support for AirPlay 2, which launched in 2018 with less buffering, support for stereo-paired HomePods, and more.

Rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE have been circulating since just months after the current model launched in 2022. Below, we have recapped the latest rumors about the device, including potential features and release timing.

Unfortunately, there has been uncertainty surrounding the fourth-generation iPhone SE, with rumors conflicting about if or when the device might launch.

Yesterday, analyst Jeff Pu claimed that the fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem was delayed until 2025. Today, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo agreed that mass production of Apple's modem could begin in 2025 at the earliest, but he said the iPhone SE that Apple is using to test the modem is actually an internal prototype that the company does not plan to mass produce for release to the public. Based on Kuo's latest information, it is now unclear if a fourth-generation iPhone SE is still planned.

Kuo had previously claimed that the next iPhone SE would have a similar design as the standard iPhone 14 model released last year, suggesting that the device would have been equipped with a 6.1-inch OLED display and Face ID.

The current iPhone SE was released in March 2022 with a 4.7-inch LCD display, Touch ID, 5G, a 12-megapixel rear camera, and the A15 Bionic chip. Priced starting at $429 in the U.S., it is one of Apple's more affordable iPhone models. Previous generations of the iPhone SE were released in 2020 and 2016, so the device has gone multiple years between each refresh, meaning that any new model is unlikely to launch until at least 2024.

All in all, fourth-generation iPhone SE rumors have been in an on-again, off-again state, so there is still uncertainty surrounding the device.

Amazon today has new deals on cases for the iPhone and iPad, including Magic Keyboard cases for the iPad Pro and 10.9-inch iPad. You can also get solid markdowns on clear, silicone, and leather cases for the iPhone 14 family of smartphones.

iPad Keyboards

Starting with the 11-inch iPad Pro Magic Keyboard, Amazon has this accessory for $229.00 in Black, down from $299.00. This is a second-best price on the 11-inch Magic Keyboard, and only Amazon has this price.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Additionally, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro Magic Keyboard is on sale for $299.99 on Amazon, down from $349.00. This is another second-best price for the Magic Keyboard, and for the 12.9-inch size only White is available.

Lastly, the 10.9-inch iPad Magic Keyboard Folio is down to $229.00, from its original price of $249.00. This accessory launched in 2022 alongside the new iPad, so we haven't seen as many discounts yet. Amazon's sale today is an all-time low price on the folio.

iPhone Cases

Other than iPad keyboard cases, Amazon also has a notable sale on nearly every official Apple case for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro lineup. You'll find up to 25 percent off Clear, Silicone, and Leather cases on Amazon, all of which we've collected below. These include some of the lowest prices we've ever tracked on these accessories.

iPhone 14

• Clear Case - $39.99, down from $49.00
• Silicone Case - $34.95, down from $49.00
• Leather Case - $40.54, down from $59.00

iPhone 14 Plus

• Clear Case - $39.20, down from $49.00
• Silicone Case - $31.58, down from $49.00
• Leather Case - $27.86, down from $59.00

iPhone 14 Pro

• Clear Case - $43.04, down from $49.00
• Silicone Case - $39.99, down from $49.00

iPhone 14 Pro Max

• Clear Case - $39.99, down from $49.00
• Silicone Case - $39.99, down from $49.00

Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.