The rumors that Apple may drop the Camera Control button from the iPhone 18 were already contradicted, but it turns out the company still has big plans for the buttons on its devices. Those plans start with a redesign of the Camera Control but also include an overhaul of all iPhone buttons for the 2027 models.
Apple plans to replace all iPhone 20 mechanical buttons with haptics
Apple is at the final stage of the development of a solid-state button system that could replace the mechanical buttons on the 20th anniversary iPhone. A new piece of information shared (source in Chinese) on Weibo by leaker Instant Digital claims that the redesign has passed functional verification and is scheduled for mass production in 2027.
Apple’s new design may replace the power button, volume rockers, Action button, and Camera Control button with solid-state buttons with haptic feedback. That could confirm previous rumors claiming that the iPhone 20 could introduce a radical redesign, comparable to the iPhone X.
The Camera Control button is the first to get an overhaul
Apple introduced the Camera Control button with the iPhone 16 series. | Image credit – PhoneArena
Apple’s button revamp may begin with the Camera Control button on the iPhone 18, which may have a simpler design. Currently, the button features both capacitive and pressure sensors under a sapphire crystal surface, allowing it to recognize touch gestures, taps, presses, and swipes.
Apple’s new design will remove the capacitive sensor layer and retain only the pressure sensor. The goal of the new design is to reduce the manufacturing cost of the button while retaining all the functionality for the iPhone 18.
Do you prefer physical or solid-state buttons?
No buttons at all would be best
18.18%
I’d love solid-state buttons
18.18%
As long as they feel like clicking, I’d accept any
45.45%
I want real buttons
18.18%
That redesign won’t be anything groundbreaking. Other devices utilize a single sensor to achieve similar results. Phones like the Oppo X8 Ultra and the Vivo X200 Ultra support light taps, firm presses, and slide gestures while using only pressure sensors.
Apple is the master of fake buttons already
Replacing physical buttons with what are essentially fake buttons sounds bad, unless we’re talking about Apple. The company has mastered the art of fake clicks on the trackpad of its laptops, and I’m ready to bet that many MacBook users don’t even know that their trackpads are not actually clicking. I can’t think of a reason why the same lie wouldn’t work on an iPhone, and I trust Apple is capable of tricking us all.
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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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