With less than two months since the launch of the latest iPhone 14, speculation around the 2023 model is already rife - the latest being that the next iPhone may have no physical buttons.
If online speculation is anything to go by, the iPhone 15, slated to be launched next year, may opt for haptic feedback to supplement the physical buttons commonly found on an iPhone.
It is believed that the next iPhone may only feature a solid button, if at all.
For example, the space previously designated for physical buttons to control volume could be replaced with a button, much like the solid-state home button found on previous iPhones.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who accurately predicted numerous Apple product features before their launch, stated that 2023's iPhone could feature a solid-state button design similar to the home button on previous iPhones.
"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," Kuo said in a tweet.
He added that there would be Taptic Engines, which offer haptic feedback and will be located on the internal left and right sides of the device to provide force feedback to make users feel like they are pressing physical buttons.
"Due to this design change, the number of Taptic Engines used in each iPhone will increase from the current one to three. As a result, the existing Taptic Engine suppliers, Luxshare ICT (1st supplier) and AAC Technologies (2nd supplier) will be significant beneficiaries," he said in a follow-up tweet.
While Android users often adopt design and software cues from Apple, Kuo pointed out that upcoming Android smartphones could feature the same technology in favour of physical buttons.
"It is expected that high-end Android smartphones will also follow Apple's design to create new selling points, which is a structural positive for the mobile phone vibrator industry," Kuo said.
IOL previously reported Android users' adoption of the iPhone 14's Dynamic Island feature offering notifications alongside the smartphone camera's punch hole.
Meanwhile, other speculation around the next iPhone, which was also previously speculated by Kuo, included Type-C as the standard charging mechanism.
While reports are still unconfirmed by Apple for the next iPhone, rumours of the move to make Apple's charging port a Type-C connection comes amid the European Union's (EU) newly drafted regulation to make USB Type-C the common charging port for all mobile phones, tablets, and cameras in the region.
IOL Tech