HIGHLIGHTS
- iPhone 16 series to get Action Button on all models.
- This will be a new and improved Action Button with more features.
- The iPhone 16 Action Button is expected to be different in design and perhaps in size too.
iPhone 15 Pro models swapped the Mute Switch for Action Button, a configurable multi-purpose switch. The regular iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus missed out on the feature. However, if a new rumour is true, then, the vanilla iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will also have the Action Button along with the Pro models. Not just that, this upcoming Action Button would be different in design from the current-gen and allow more functionalities.
Apple iPhone 16 with Action Button: What to expect
As per MacRumours, all iPhone 16 models with feature an Action Button that will be capacitive in nature. The ones on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are mechanical buttons. This means the new Action Button could function like the Touch ID Home button on older iPhones or the Force Touch Trackpad on newer MacBooks.
The internal documents reveal the Action Button codename is Atlas and that it will have a force sensor capable of analyzing pressure and “tact-switching functionality”. Also, the documents mention a Capture button on the iPhone 16 series that could function similarly to the Action Button.
The details are a little hazy but the company is expected to ship all future iPhones including the iPhone SE 4 with the Action Button. So, Apple seems to be ditching the signature Ring/Silent button in favour of this new button. MacRumours also claim Apple is working on bigger-sized Action Buttons too that look like the iPhone volume rocker.
In time, we should see more renders and leaks regarding this. For now, we can safely assume the Action Button to carry forward the following features:
iPhone 15 Pro Action Button features
- Silent Mode: This is an alternative to the mute switch and does the same job of turning on the silent or ringer mode.
- Camera: Quickly turn on the Camera viewfinder and click a photo or shoot a video.
- Magnifier: Zoom in using the iPhone camera by tapping the Action Button.
- Translate: Use the built-in translator to find translation between two languages.
- Flashlight: Trigger the iPhone flashlight with a press.
- Voice Memo: Do voice recording in a jiff.
- Focus: Activate the Focus Mode that suits the situation. Press the button again to toggle it off.
- Shortcuts: Use the Action Button to access any of the Shortcuts you have saved on your iPhone.
- Accessibility features: Toggle any of the accessibility settings to aid your use, especially if you are specially-abled in case of hearing or vision.
