Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has reaffirmed that the iPhone 15 Pro models will have solid-state power and volume keys, and he underlined that if the change is well accepted, more high-end smartphones might fall into line in the future. This apparently includes the Apple Watch Ultra and the iPad Pro, according to him.
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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.— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) January 11, 2023
According to Kuo, the iPhone 15 Pro models would include two more Taptic Engines, which deliver haptic input when the buttons are pressed but don’t really move. This would be comparable to the Force Touch trackpad on newer MacBooks and the solid-state Home button first seen on the iPhone 7.
Additionally, he stated that the number of Taptic Engines employed in each iPhone will increase from the present one to three as a result of this design modification. As a result, the current suppliers of the Taptic Engine, Luxshare ICT as the first supplier and AAC Technologies as the second supplier, will reap major benefits.
Kuo remarked in a series of tweets that Cirrus Logic, the manufacturer of the Taptic Engine processors used in iPhones, would profit from the shift.
The use of solid-state buttons on iPhones could improve their water resistance even more and get rid of any moving elements that might break or wear out over time. However, mechanical buttons are still anticipated for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models, which are scheduled to come in 2H23.
According to Ming-Chi Kuo, who tweeted last year that;
My latest survey indicates that the volume button and power button of two high-end iPhone 15/2H23 new iPhone models may adopt a solid-state button design (similar to the home button design of iPhone 7/8/SE2 & 3) to replace the physical/mechanical button design.