The iPhone 16 could have a mysterious capacitive 'Capture Button'

The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro might only have been on sale for a few days but the rumors mill has already turned its attention to what comes next. And what comes next is the iPhone 16.

While the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max both have the new Action button in place of the familiar mute switch, it seems that Apple isn't yet done with the idea of moving buttons around. In fact, it's going to add an entirely new button and move another component to the other side of the iPhone to make space according to a new report.

That report comes out of MacRumors which claims that the iPhone 16 will include a new capacitive 'Capture Button," something that is currently being developed under the codename Project Nova. The report goes on to say that it is likely that the new Capture Button will be a main selling point of the new iPhone, although it then goes on to say that it isn't currently known what the button will actually be used for.

Interestingly, it claims that the button will take the place of the mmWave cutout on the side of the iPhone, just below the volume button. The mmWave cutout is used to allow iPhones in the United States to connect to ultrafast mmWave 5G networks, but it's something that isn't present on international models.

With the Capture Button set to take its place beneath the power button, it's thought that the mmWave cutout will move to the other side of the iPhone, below the volume buttons.

The new button will be capacitive in nature, meaning it won't physically click in. That was a change that was rumored for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, with all of their buttons - including the Action button - thought to be capacitive. That later changed however with Apple thought to have ditched the idea. A capacitive button would use the iPhone's Taptic Engine to simulate the click of a button when pressed.

The same capacitive button is expected technology to be used on the iPhone 15 lineups Action button, too.

All of this could change of course and MacRumors appears to suggest that the Capture Button in particular is still being tested - it says a configuration without it is in the works, too.

With Apple not expected to announce the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineups for another year we can expect there to be plenty of leaks and rumors between now and then.