TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is sticking to his prediction that this year’s iPhone 15 Pro models will use solid-state buttons rather than conventional volume and power buttons. According to Kuo, if iPhone customers “react well” to this modification, Apple may end up implementing it on more of its devices in the future.
Apple to ditch clicky volume and power buttons with iPhone 15 Pro models
In a new Twitter thread, Kuo doubled down on a prediction he made in October 2022 about the higher-end iPhone 15 models.
My latest survey indicates that high-end iPhone 15 models will feature solid-state buttons and will equip with additional Taptic Engines to simulate the feel of physical buttons’ force feedback.
Cirrus Logic is the primary winner for canceling physical buttons and the change to adopt solid-state buttons on the 2H23 high-end iPhone 15 models.
As the exclusive supplier of Taptic Engine’s controller IC for solid-state buttons, Cirrus Logic stands to benefit markedly from this new design. If users respond well to this new design, I think it may be adopted in other high-end models of product lines in the future.
In October, the analyst said that the tech giant would expand its Taptic Engine technology to iPhone starting with the iPhone 15 lineup. “The buttonless design & switch to USB-C are two of the major updates for iPhone 15,” Kuo said.
Currently, all iPhones feature a power button and volume buttons that can be pressed down on. With the iPhone 15 Pro, Apple plans on introducing solid-state buttons. When pressed, these buttons will stimulate the feeling of clicking on a real button by giving the user Haptic feedback.
While this is the first time Apple is rumored to add this sort of functionality to power buttons and volume buttons, Haptic feedback is not a brand-new technology. For example, the Force Touch trackpad on MacBooks does not actually move when pressed. It has “force sensors” under its four corners, allowing it to detect subtle differences in the amount of pressure used. The functionality can also be seen on the Home button of the iPhone 7, 8, etc.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has also said that the iPhone 15 Pro models will come with Haptic volume buttons as well as a new titanium frame.
