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The iPhone 17 Pro may have a brand new action and volume button

The iPhone 17 Pro may have a brand new action and volume button

The new camera control button is one of the signature features of the iPhone 16 series. The button gives you quick access to the camera and camera settings. In the future, you’ll also be able to see the iPhone’s built-in AI via the new Visual Intelligence feature.

The iPhone 16 is actually the second generation of iPhone in a row to feature a new button. The iPhone 15 series featured the Action button last year, but Apple limited it to the Pro models. A year later, all four iPhone 16 models have the two new buttons.

Apple apparently won’t stop here. If a new rumor is true, Apple plans to replace the action button and volume buttons on the iPhone 17 Pro with a single button. The change sounds crazy at first, but if you’ve been following the iPhone rumors closely, it’s starting to make sense.

The claim comes from an X-leaker named Majin Bu. He is not always accurate with his Apple information, so you need to keep that in mind. But I also have to say that his last-minute Apple Watch Series 10 leaks turned out to be correct. A few days before the Glowtime event, the leaker claimed that the new Apple Watch models would feature 42mm and 46mm displays instead of the previously rumored 45mm and 49mm sizes.

If you are a long-time iPhone user, you probably know that Apple is already working on the iPhone 17 series. Rumors suggest an iPhone 17 Air will replace the iPhone Plus. It will be an ultra-slim iPhone compared to the rest of the iPhone 17 series.

Whether Bu’s claim is correct or not, Apple is certainly trying out all sorts of ideas for the new iPhone series. This could include new button designs and functions. A few days ago we learned that Apple had several changes planned for the iPhone buttons, but they didn’t materialize during the prototyping phase.

Apple reportedly wanted a larger action button that mimicked the camera control button (Project Atlas) and a unified volume button (Project Bongo). While Apple had to scupper these plans, they could always resurface with an idea similar to Bu’s.

Apple could unify the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons and merge them with the Action button. The camera control button explains how the device works. The unnamed button would be a physical button like the camera controls. However, it could also feature a sapphire crystal on the top to detect touches and a force sensor to differentiate between different touches.

Take a photo on iPhone 16 and 16 Plus using the camera control button. Image source: Apple Inc.

Depending on how you press (or swipe) the button, you can mute the phone, adjust the volume, or trigger another action. Given the functionality of the camera control button, this would all make sense.

This also has a practical side if you assume that Apple would implement the button in all four iPhone 17 models. A significantly thinner iPhone 17 Air model will need to be just as durable as current models, especially if accidental bending occurs. The fewer button cutouts there are in the thin metal frame, the more stable it is.

The disadvantage is obvious. People who are used to the current iPhone button setup might find the change difficult at first. But like any change Apple introduces, it’s something you should get used to. I say this as a long-time iPhone user who wants to take advantage of the new camera control button. However, due to the position of the camera controls, operating with the left hand is annoying. Cases could complicate matters.

What if Apple’s action volume button on the iPhone 17 was the same size as the camera controls and completely identical? This would allow a user to choose where to place the camera controls and action volume buttons. Since I hold the phone in my left hand, I would love it if the camera controls were where the volume controls are.

Speculation aside, if this iPhone 17 Pro design detail is true, we’ll be seeing it in all sorts of leaks in the coming months.