Apple‘s next iPhone series – the iPhone 15 – is shaping to be the most radical change we could end up seeing. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that the high-end iPhone 15 model — the iPhone 15 Pro/ Pro Max — could ditch physical power and volume buttons for a solid-state button design.
Kuo explains how the solid-state button design on the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro models would work in a series of tweets. The analyst compares the solid-state power and volume buttons with the new home button introduced with the iPhone 7.
Similar to the home button on the iPhone 7/ 8 and the last two iPhone SE models, the solid-state power and volume buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro models would use Apple’s Taptic Engine to mimic the vibration. So, the upcoming high-end iPhone models would see an increase in the number of Taptic Engines.
Currently, iPhone uses a single Taptic Engine, whether the one with touch ID or without it. Though, iPhone 15 Pro models with solid-state button design would come with three Taptic Engines, each on the right and left sides.
It is believed that getting rid of physical buttons would further strengthen the structural integrity of the iPhone and improve water resistance. This could become a marketing point for next year’s iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max (or Ultra). Meanwhile, the standard iPhone 15 models will stick with the physical buttons.
Kuo further notes that the upcoming high-end Android smartphones could also adopt the solid-state design for power and volume buttons.