The fourth-generation iPhone SE will have an iPhone 15 Pro-style Action Button, among several other significant new features, according to the leaker...
The Action button, which could be similar to the Apple Watch Ultra’s Action button but with more phone-focused options, is expected to be a new physical button on the next-generation Pro iPhone models that replaces the Ring/Silent switch. The Action button would allow users to quickly access various functions and settings without necessarily unlocking the device or navigating to an app.
AFAIK the “action button” is going to replace the “mute” switch which is rumoured to be the most common component failure on recent model iPhones. Pocket lint/etc is can be forced into the switch every time you operate it and eventually that leads to failure (normally long after the warranty runs out and when repairing the button would cost more than the device is worth).
The mute switch is also prone to accidental input, and it’s the only exterior button where accidentally triggering it is potentially a problem (you could miss an important call/etc).
They’re likely to replace it with a solid state pressure sensitive capacitive button with haptic feedback. Apple uses those in a bunch of other devices (the whole screen was one on older models) and they are almost indistinguishable from a regular button, but more reliable and can only be activated deliberately (unlike a regular button).
What’s this action button all about?
From https://www.macrumors.com/2023/07/26/ios-17-beta-action-button-iphone-15-pro/
Thank you for the rundown. I Literally just found it in the article. Appreciate it!
AFAIK the “action button” is going to replace the “mute” switch which is rumoured to be the most common component failure on recent model iPhones. Pocket lint/etc is can be forced into the switch every time you operate it and eventually that leads to failure (normally long after the warranty runs out and when repairing the button would cost more than the device is worth).
The mute switch is also prone to accidental input, and it’s the only exterior button where accidentally triggering it is potentially a problem (you could miss an important call/etc).
They’re likely to replace it with a solid state pressure sensitive capacitive button with haptic feedback. Apple uses those in a bunch of other devices (the whole screen was one on older models) and they are almost indistinguishable from a regular button, but more reliable and can only be activated deliberately (unlike a regular button).