Apple can't make up its mind about the iPhone 16 Pro's Action Button

When Apple launched the iPhone 15 Pro it became the first iPhone with an Action button. The customizable button lets you configure it to do all kinds of things, and it's going to be part of the iPhone 16 Pro lineup as well. However, reports suggest that Apple is yet to really decide what that will look or work like with multiple prototypes having been worked through.

MacRumors had previously reported that Apple is testing a solid-state Action button alongside a new Capture button, although it isn't clear what the latter will actually be. Now, the same outlet reports that Apple has been working on different sizes of Action button but after multiple tests, it's back to where it started.

2

Writing in a new report, the MacRumors claims that Apple has ditched plans for a larger Action button and will instead stick with the smaller one that we're familiar with on the iPhone 15 Pro. It also appears to suggest that Apple is sticking with the old button design, although it seems that the Capture button will be capacitive.

If MacRumors is correct, Apple has gone through various iterations of the iPhone 16 Pro with one including a unified volume button. That's been scrapped and the familiar dual-button setup is back. After that, a large Action button was also tested, but it now appears that Apple has moved away from that plan, too.

All of this is based on what MacRumors calls the Proto2 design, although it is important to note that even if that is the model Apple is working on, things can change. Apple still has time to finalize the design for the iPhone 16 Pro with the devices not set to be announced until September of this year.

The biggest question here is what that Capture button will be used for. The name suggests it could be a camera shortcut or a button that will act a the shutter within the Camera app. but we can likely expect to learn more in the coming weeks and months as more information continues to leak.

If Apple follows its usual release cadence the iPhone 16 Pro will be far from the only new model it announces. The iPhone 16 and iPHone 16 Plus are also expected, as is the iPhone 16 Pro Max - although there is still a chance that Apple could use the iPhone 16 Ultra name to match the Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Ultra 2. Time, as always, will tell.